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OBSERVATIONS 

ON  THE 

LANGUAGE   OF 
CHAUCER'S    HOUS   OF    FAME 

A  DISSERTATION 


PRESENTED  TO  THE  FACULTY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  VIRGINIA  FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF 

DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 


BY 


HARRY  CLINTON  FORD. 


ROANOKE,  VIRGINIA : 

THE  STONE  PRINTING  AND  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY 
1899 


OBSERVATIONS 

: 


ON  THE 


LANGUAGE  OF 
CHAUCER'S  HOUS  OF  FAM 


A  DISSERTATION 


PRESENTED  TO  THE  FACULTY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  VIRGINIA  FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF 

DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 


BY 


HARRY  CLINTON  FORD 


INTRODUCTION. 

THE  following  paper  has  as  its  first  and  chief  aim  to  extend 
a  little  further  the  inquiry  as  to  Chaucer's  treatment  of 
final  -e.     It  is  modelled  closely  on  similar  studies  of  the 
Troilus  by  Professor  Kittredge,  of  Harvard,  and  of  the  Legend 
of  Good  Women  by  Professor  Manly,  of  Chicago  University,  in 
the  hope  that  the  identity  of  form  may  add  something  to  the 
value  of  them  all. 

In  citing  words  from  Old  and  Middle  English  in  illustration 
of  words  and  forms  in  the  Hous  of  Fame,  no  attempt  has  been 
made  to  determine  the  dialect  of  Old  English  from  which  descent 
is  to  be  traced,  or  to  give  a  history  of  the  changes  which  occurred 
between  the  Old  English  period  and  the  time  of  Chaucer.  The 
main  object,  as  stated,  has  been  to  take  some  account  of  Chaucer's 
use  of  final  -e. 

The  authorities  for  the  Hous  of  Fame  are  few  and  very 
faulty.  Almost  any  blunder  might  be  attributed  to  the  scribe 
who  could  perpetrate  such  monstrosities  as  hytte  (=  hyf),  whatte 
(=  what),  frerre  (=  fer),  etc.  Numberless  instances  of 
wrongly  written  -^'s  could  be  cited  ;  and  at  the  end  of  the 
verse  no  little  difficulty  has  been  had  in  deciding  in  certain  cases 
whether  or  not  the  -e  is  of  value.  In  general  I  have  preferred 
to  follow  the  guidance  of  Willert,  who  has  taken  quite  a  step 
forward  in  the  suppression  of  these  seemingly  idle  -e's. 

The  present  study  is  based  on  the  Fairfax  MS.  16,  Bodleian 
Library,  as  being  perhaps  the  best  of  the  three  ;  but  careful  com- 
parison has  been  made  with  the  other  MSS. ,  as  well  as  with  the 
editions  of  Caxton  and  Thynne.  When  the  reading  of  another 
MS.  than  F  is  given,  the  fact  is  noted  and  the  variants  usually 
registered. 


814982 


ABBREVIATIONS  AND  SIGNS. 

A.  R.,  Ancren  Riwle,  Morton,  1853;  B. — S.,  Bradley's  Stratmann  ; 
Freudenberger,  M.  Freudenberger,  Ueber  das  Fehlen  des  Auftakts  in 
Chaucer's  heroischem  Verse,  1889  ;  He.,  Heath's  edition  of  the  poem  in  the 
Globe  Chaucer;  L.,  Layamon's  Brut,  Madden,  1847;  M.,  Murray's  New 
English  Dictionary,  Vol.  I-II  ;  M.  L.  N.,  Modern  Language  Notes;  O., 
Ormulum,  White,  1878;  O.  &  N.,  Owl  and  Nightingale,  Stratmann,  1868; 
P.  PL,  Langland's  Piers  Plowman,  Skeat,  1886;  Sheldon,  Sheldon's  etymolo- 
gies in  Webster's  International  Dictionary  ;  Sk.,  Skeat's  Etymological 
Dictionary  and  edition  of  the  poem  ;  Sweet,  Sweet's  History  of  English 
Sounds,  1888 ;  Wi.,  Willert's  edition  of  the  poem,  1888.  Other  contractions 
will  be  easily  understood;  such  as  n.  (noun  or  neuter),  impv.  (imperative), 
pp.  (perfect  participle),  etc.  However,  adj.  means  adjective,  singular,  attri- 
butive, unless  post,  or  pred.  is  added  ;  but  when  the  adjective  is  invariable 
this  distinction  is  not  commonly  made. 

The  following  signs  are  used  :  -e  or  -e  =  e  pronounced  ;  -e  =  e  elided 
before  a  vowel  or  h ;  -  c=  e  apocopated  or  syncopated,  as  well  when  due 
to  the  scribe's  caprice  as  in  words  in  which  it  is  regularly  or  sometimes 
sounded  ;  (-e}  =  e  unsounded  in  rhyme  ;  [  ]  indicates  an  omission  in  the 
MS.;  (  )  marks  something  wrongly  written  within  the  verse;/"  (as  in 
2011  f)  means  in  rhyme;  x  marks  the  ictus;  :  expresses  rhymes  with, 
*  denotes  a  line  metrically  imperfect  which  is  not  easily  corrected  by  com- 
parison of  MSS-  ;  ||  marks  the  csesura. 

The  manuscripts  are  denoted  as  follows :  F,  Fairfax  MS-  16,  Bodleian 
Library  ;  B,  Bodley  MS.  638,  Bodleian  Library  ;  P,  Pepys  MS.  2006,  Mag- 
dalen College,  Cambridge;  C,  Caxton's  edition,  British  Museum,  aboui 
1483  ;  T,  Thynne's  edition,  1532. 


NOUNS. 

1.  Masculine,  feminine,  and  neuter  nouns  of  the  -n  declension 
in  Anglo-Saxon  end  in  -e  in  H.  F. 

2.  I.     Masculine  nouns  of  the  -n  declension  (Child,  §  3). 
Ape  (A.S.  apa,  O.  &  N.  ape),  1212  f  (:  iape  inf.). 

bane  (A.S.  bana,  bona,  I/,  bone,  I/b.  bane),  408  f  (:  Adriane 

/r.Jt.)- 

bere  (A-S.  bera),  1004  f  (:  here/n?.). 

grome  (A.S.  guma  ;  cf.  O-  N.  gromr),  206. 

hare  (A.S.  hara,  O.  &  N.  hare),  68 1  f  (:  fare  n.). 

make  (A.S.  gemaca,  O.  make),  1172  f  (:  make  inf.). 

mone  (A.S.  mona,  L-  O.  mone),  1531  f,  2116  f  (both  :  soneadfc/.). 

name  (A.S.   noma,  nama,  Iy.  nome,  name,  O.  name),  306  f, 

558  f,  1145  f,  1275  f,   1312  f,    1411  f,   1462  f,   1489  f,   1556  f, 

1610  f,  1620  f,  1696  f,  1716  f,  1736  f,  1761  f,  1871  f,   1900  f, 

2112  f ;  name,  346  ;  nam^,  1877. 

Rhyme  words.  —  shame  n.  (558),  fame  n.  (the  rest), 
prikke  (A.S.  prica,  pricca),  907  f  (:  thikke/ra/.  adj.  sg.). 
shrews  (A.S.  screawa,  L,.  shrewe),  1843. 
smoke  (A.S.  smoca,   L,.   smoke),    769    f    (:    y-broke   pp.)  ; 

smoke,  1645  ;  sinok^,  743. 
ster*  (A.S.  steora,  gubernator ;    steor   «.,  O.  ster,  gubernac- 

ulum),  437. 
sterre  (A.S.   steorra,  I,,    steorre,    sterre,  O.   steorne,   P.    PI. 

sterre),  599  f  (:  ferre  comp.  adv.). 

ten^  (A.S.  teona,  Iy.  teone,  tuone,  O.  P.  PI.  tene),  387. 
tyme  (A.S.  tima,  L.  O.  time),  519  f,  1256  f  (both  :  ryme  inf.); 

tyme,  303,  1249;  tyme,  536,   1257,   1523;  tymes  (error  for 

tyme),  1155.  —  som  tyme,  2088. 
wele  (A.S.  wela,  weola,  L,.  wele,  weole,  P.  PI.  weole),  1138  f 

(:  fele  adj.),  684  f  (:  stele  n.). 
welle  (A.S.  wella  ;  but  also  wielle,  m. ,  wiell,  m.,  and  wielle, 

//  I/,  welle,  waelle,  V3.  welle,  wel,  O.  wel),  522  f  (:  duelle 

2 pi.  pr.  ind.),  1653  f  (:  helle  n.). 
won*  (A.S.  gewuna,  I/,  iwune,   wune,  Lb.  P.  PI.  wone),  76  ; 

woone  (dwelling),  1166  f  (:  to  goone^r.  inf.). 
wrecch[e]    (A.S.  wrecc(e)a,  wraecc(e)a,  Sievers,  §  89,  n.  i.  ; 

La.  wraecche,  wrehche,  Lb.  wrecche,  wrech,  O.  wreche),  919. 


3.  II.     Feminine  nouns  of  the  -n  declension  (Child,  §  4). 
belle  (A.S.  belle,  I,.  O.  belle),  1841  f  (:  telle  inf.). 

Toeme  (A.S.  beme,  byme),  1240. 

chirche  (A.S.  cirice,  cyrice,  cyrce,  L.  circe,  O.  kirke,  P.  PL 

kirke,  chirche),  473  f  (:  wirche  inf.). 
erthe  (A.S.  eoroe,  L.  O.   eoroe,  erfe),   752,  954,   1060,   1077, 

1374  ;  erth^,  715,  846,  918. 
harpe   (A.S.  hearpe,  I,,  harpe,  hearpe),  773  f,  1201  f  {both  : 

sharpe  adv.)  ;  harpe,  777  ;  harp[e],  1005. 
herte    (A.S.    heorte,    I,,    heorte,    O.    heorrte,    herrte),   373  f 

(:  smerte    adj.)  ;  hert[e],    315  f  (:  smert  adj.  pi.)  ;   1799  f 

(:  stert  3  sg.  pt.  ind.)  ;   hert[e],  210,  326,  570,  1148,  1814  ; 

hert<?,  604,  1749.     Kxcept  in  our  MS.  -e  is  commonly  written, 
larke    (A.S.  lawerce,   P.   PL   larke),   546  f  (:  starke   adj.  def. 

post. .pi.). 
pipe  (A.S.  pipe,  O.   &  N.  pipe),   1219  f  (:   pipe  inf.)  ;  pipe, 

773,  774- 

Rose  (A.S.  rose  ;  also  O.  F.  rose),  135. 
sonn^  (A.S.  sunne,  IA  sunne,  Lb.  sonne,  O.  sunne),  497. 
syde  (A.S.  side,  I,.   O   side),  1419  f  (:  wide  adj.  pi.)  ;  syde, 

1204  ;  syde,  1151. 
tonge  (A.S.  tunge,  L   O.  tunge),  348  f,  721   f,    1234  f,  1656  f ; 

tong[e],  202  2  f. 

Rhyme   words. — songe  pp.    (348,   721),    yonge    adj.    pi.    (1234), 

y-ronge^.  (1656),  y-sprong  pp.  (2082). 
wyse  (A.S.  wise,   L,.   O.  wise),  1061  f,  1114  f  (both  :  deuyse 

inf.),  1347  f  0  venyse/r.  n.). 

4.  III.     Neuters  of  the  -n  declension  (Child,  §  2). 

ere  (A.S.  eare,  O,  sere),  2044  f,  2058  f  (both  :  there  adv.). 
ye  (A.S,  eage,  I,.  636,  O.  e^he),    291  f,  498  f,  906  f,  935  f, 
1492  f. 

Rhyme  words. — lye  n.   (291),    hye  adv.    (498,   906),    Galoxie   n. 
(935),  hye«#.  (1492). 

5.  In  lady  (A.S.  hlsefdige,  f.)  the  final  vowel  disappears, 
lady  (A.S.  hliefdige,    I/.    Isefdi,  Iseudi,  lafdie,  Lb.  lafdi,  O. 

laffdi}),  before  consonants,   204,  213,  1311,  1536,  1593,   1609, 
1677,  1693,  I7°4»  1730;  before  vowel,  1310. 

6.  Anglo-Saxon  masculine  and  neuter  vowel- stems  that  have 
a  final  vowel  {-e  or  -u)  in  the  nominative  singular,  preserve 
this  vowel  as  -e  in  H.  F.  (cf.  Child,  §  7). 

For  convenience  the  following  classes  of  nouns  are  thrown 
together  in  a  single  alphabetical  list  :  (i.)  masculine  jo-(ja-) 


stems  with  long  stem-syllable,  — ende  ;  (ii.)  neuter  jo- 
stems  with  long  stem-syllable, — stele;  (iii.)  masculine 
/-stems  with  short  stem-syllable, — hete,  lyge,  stede ;  (iv.) 
neuter  /-stems  with  short  stem-syllable,  —  spere  ;  (v. )  mas- 
culine //-stems  with  short  stem-syllable,  —  sunu.  Masculine 
nomina  agentis  in  -ere  (which  properly  belong  under  i.)  and 
abstract  nouns  in  -stipe  (which  properly  belong  under  ii.) 
lose  -e  ;  see  §  7. 

ende  (A.S.  ende,  m.,  L.  O.  ende),  1646  f,  1867  f,  (both: 
wende  inf. 

-ere,  see  §  7. 

hate  (A.S.  hete,  m.  (cf.  hatian),  I<.  hsete,  hete,  Lb.  hate, 
O.  hete,  hate),  95,  1964. 

lye  (A.S.  lyge,   m.),  292  f  (:  ye  ».),  1552  f  (:  cornpanye  «.). 

sone  (A.S.  sunu,  m.,  L.  sune,  sone,  O.  sune),  218;  son^,  138 
165,  177. — sone,  160;  sonne,  941. 

Note. — Tea  Brink's  remark — "sone,  wane  kommen  im  Vers 
nie  als  zweisilbig  vor  "  (Spr.  u.  V.,  261) — is  contradicted  by 
verse  218  :  Syth  that  he  hir  sone  was. 

spere  (A.S.  spere,  n.,  I,,  spere,  sper,  P.  PI.  spere,  sper),  1048 
f  ( :  were  i  pi.  pt.  ind, ) . 

stede  (A.S.  stede,  m.,  Iy.  stude.  O.  stede,  O.  &  N.  stede, 
stude),  829  f  (:  drede  «.)  ;  stid^,  ^827.  — stede,  731. 

stele  (A.S.  stele,  style,  I,,  stel),  683  f  (:  wele  ».)•  But 
Willert  prefers  to  conform  the  rhyme-word  to  the  ordinary 
usage  of  stele,  as  is  seen  by  his  writing  steel,  weel.  Skeat  and 
Heath,  on  the  other  hand,  retain  -e. — stel(e),  1130  f 
(:  euerydele). 

7.  Exceptions  to  §  6. 

The  termination  shippe  (A.  S.  -scipe,  m.,  jo-stem)  occurs 
but  once,  and  -e  is  unsounded.  A.  S.  -ere,  m.,  jo-stem,  is 
seen  in  but  one  word  ;  in  this  -e  is  dropped. 

stele,  see  §  6. 

-ere  (A.S.  -ere,  also  L,.  W.  S.  -re,  m.  ;  Sievers,  §  248)  :  harper 
Orion,  1205. 

-shippe  (A.  S.  scipe,  LA  -scipe,  IA  -sipe):  frendshippe,  307. 

8.  Anglo-Saxon    feminine   vowel-stems  that  have  -u  in  the 
nominative   end   in   H.   F.   in  -e  throughout   the   singular 
(except  in  the  genitive). 

The  following  list  includes  (i.)  d-(o-)  stems  with  short 
stem-syllable  :  faru,  lufuy  sagu,  sceadu,  sceahi,  sceamu,  talu  ; 
(ii. )  abstract  nouns  in  -21,  -o,  corresponding  to  Gothic  abstracts 


8 

in  ei  and  usually  indeclinable  in  the  singular  :  br&du,  hcelu, 
h&tu ;  (iii.)  feminine  consonant-stem  with  short  stem-sylla- 
ble :  hnutu. 

brede  A.S.  braedu,  IA  brsede,  IA  brede,  O.  &  N.  brede), 
1494  f  (:  rede  i  sg.  pr.  ind.);  bredf,  2042. 

fare  (A.S.  faru,  L,.  fare,  faere,  uore,  P.  PI.  fare),  682  f  (:  hare 
».),  1065  f  (:  clare/r.  ».). 

hek  (A.S.  h£lu;  also  had,  -e, /.,  I,,  hele,  O.  hsele),  1966. 

hete  (A.S.  hsetu  ;  also  hsete,  -an,  /.  ;  L,  hate,  O.  haete), 
569  f  (:  bete  inf.),  921  f  (:  wete  pred.  adj.),  940  f  (:  strete 
n.),  1149  f  (:  bete  n.)  ;  hete,  1164. 

loue  (A.S.  lufu  ;  also  lufe,  -an,  /.,  see  Sievers,  §  279,  n.  i, 
Cosijn,  Altws.  Gr.  II,  §§  33  and  14,  Platt,  Anglia,  VI,  176  ; 
IA  lufe,  V.  loue,  O,  lufe,  P.  PI.,  love),  321,  1235,  1797, 
2143  ;  love,  1757  f  (:  above  adv.)  ;  loue,  243,  247,  258,  305, 
625,  634,  683,  1056,  1711,  1739,  1995  ;  low,  277,  1889,  1964. 

—  loue,  341,  1697,  1758. 

Note.  —  Four  examples  of  final  sounded  -e  within  the  verse  are 
recorded ;  of  these  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  but  one  : 
Ther  men  of  loue  tydynges  tolde  ;  or,  possibly, 
Ther  men  of  loue  tydynges  tolde,  2143. 
note  (A.S.  hnutu;  cf.   O.  N.  hnot  ;  P.  PI.    wal-note),    walsh 

note,  1281. 
sawe  (A.S.  sagu,  I/.  sa$e,  sae^e,  P.  PI.  sawe),   2089  (:  thrawe 

inf.). 
shade  (A.S.  sceadu  ;  also  scead  n.,  see  Sievers,  §§  260,  271), 

1 1 60  f  (:  made  j  sg.  pt.  ind.). 
shale    (A.S.   scealu,  scalu,   I/,   scale,   IA   scole,    P.  PI.   scale, 

shale),  1281  f  (:  tale  ».). 

shame    (A.S.    sceamu,    scamu,   sceomu,    LA   scome,   sceome, 
scame,  IA  same,  seame,  O.  shame),  557  f  (:  namerc.),  1582  f, 
(:  diffatne  inf.),  1816  f  (:  fame  n.)  ;  sham^,  1655. 
tale  (A.S.  talu,  I,.  O.  tale),   1282  f  (:  shale  n.),  1839  f  (:  pale 
n.)  ;  tak,  1829. 

§  9.  Monosyllabic  feminine  nouns  with  long  stem-syllable  take 
in  H.  F.  a  final  -e  (perhaps  derived  from  the  oblique  cases) 
throughout  the  singular,  except  in  the  genitive  (cf.  Child,  § 
1 6  ;  ten  Brink,  §  207). 

The  following  list  includes:  (i.)  ^-sterns,  —  b&r,  bdt, 
healf,  heall,  heord,  lar,  leaf,  mil,  rest,  rod,  sawol,  scond,  sp<zc, 
stefn,  stund,  strtzt,  hev'il,  wund ;  (ii.)  /^-sterns,  —  bll^s,  hell, 
hyr,  -nis ;  (iii.)  wa -stems,  —  ties,  m&d,  r&w ;  (iv.) /-stems, 

—  ben  (influenced  by  O.  N.    bon),   dad,  flor,   hyf,  gecynd, 


gemynd,   nled,   cwen,   cweorn,  gesih^,   fid ;    (v.)    consonant- 
stem, —  mus ;  (vi.)  heak&u,  on  lengfte,  O.  N.  sltegft,  slceixfa, 

streng^u,    treouft,    untreozefc.      For   convenience   derthe  and 

routhe  are  included  in  this  section. 

here  (A.S.  bsbr,  ber,  L.  O.  bsere),  1744  f,  (:  chere  «.). 
blysse    (A.S.  blrSs,  bliss,  L.  O.  blisse),  492  f  (:  wisse  inf.). 

—  blys,  2016  f  (:  amys  adv.). 
bone  (O.  N.  bon,  been,  /.,   A.S.   ben,    O.    bene,    L,.   bone), 

J537  fi  :774  f  (both  :  sone  adv.). 
bote  (A.S.  hot,  L.  O.  bote),  32. 
dede    (A.S.    dsed,   ded,   L.   dede,   O.   dede,   dsed-bote),   329  f 

( :  godelyhede  n. ) ,  386  f  ( :  rede  inf. ) . 

derthe  (A.S.  deore,  adj.  ;   cf.  O.  N.  dyrS  ;  P.  PI.  derthe),  1974. 
flor*   (A.S.    flor;     also  masc.,  Sievers,  §  274,  n.    i  ;    L,.  flor, 

O.  flor).  1344,  2033. 
half*  (A.S.  healf),    1136.     For  half,  adj.,  cf.  1345  ;  adv.,  914, 

1923. 
halle  (A.S   heall,  hall,  L.  Halle),  1314  f,  1527  f,  1533  f,  1568  f, 

2142  f  ;  halle,  1357,  1514,  1826;  hall*,  1186,  1342,  1493. 

Rhyme  words. — alle  pro.    (1314),   with  alle  (1527,  2142),  falle 

inf.  (T533)»  called/.  (1568). 
helle  (A.S.  hell,   I,,   helle,   O.   helle),   445  f,    1510  f,    1654  f, 

1803  f ;  helle,  441  ;  hell*,  72,  918. 

Rhyme  words. — telle  inf.  (445,  1510,  1803),  welle  «.  (1654). 
herde  (A.S.  heord,  IS.  heorde,  Lb.  hierde),  1225. 
hight[e]  (A.S.  heahSu,  heh^u,  hieh'Su),  740  f  (:  wight pondus), 

744  f  (:  lyght  adj.  post.  plur.).     But  -*  nowhere  appears  in 

either  hight  or  the  rhyme- words, 
hire  (A.S.  hyr,   L.  hure,   P.  PI.   hure,   huire,  huyre),  1857  f 

(:  afire). 

hive  (A.S.  hyf),  1522  f  (blyve  #<afo. ). 
kynde  (A.S.  cynd,   n.,   gecynd,  /.,    (later  n.)  ;    late    A.   S. 

gecynde,  n.,  and  gecyndu,  -o, /.,  Sievers,  §  267  b.  and  n.  4  ; 

L,.  icunde,  cunde,  O.  kinde),  43  f,  584  f,  749  f,  824  f,  1213  f. 
Rhyme  words.  — fynde  3  pi.  pr.  ind.  (43),  niyndew.  (584,  824), 

fyncle  /  ^g.  pr.  ind.  (749),  behynde^r^.  (1213). 
lengthe    (A.S.     on    lengSe  ;     also     lengu,     -o,   /.),     1979    f 

(:  strengthe  «.)  ;  length*,  1370;  length  (+  vowel),  1494. 
lese  (A.S.  Ises),  1768  f  (:  ese  «.). 
leve  (A.S.  leaf,  I/,  leue,  Iseue,  leaue,  lefe,  leaf,  L,b.  leue,  lefue, 

O.  lefe),  2105  f  (:  eve  n.)  ;  lev*,  1089.. 

lor*  (A.S.  lar,  La.  laere,  lare,  leore,  Lh.  lore,  O.  lare),  579,  1965. 
mede    (A.S.  msed,  med  ;  gen.,  msedwe,  msede  ;   L.   medewe, 

dat.),  1353  f  (:  rede  inf.). 


10 

muse  (A.S.  mus,  P.  PL  mus),  785  f  (:  house  n.).  All  author- 
ities show  -e  here,  and  WL,  Sk.  and  He.  retain  it.  It  is  quite 
probable,  however,  that  we  here  have  to  do  with  one  of  the 
numberless  idle  -^'s.  The  uniform  usage  of  the  rhyme  word 
elsewhere  strengthens  this  notion. 

myle  (A.S.  mil,  L.  O.  mile),  1038. 

mynde  (A.S.  gemynd,  f.  and  n.,  O.  minde),  583  f,  823  f 
(both  :  kynde  «.)  ;  mynde,  564. 

nede  (A.S.  nied  (also  «.,  cf.  Cosijn,  Altws.  Gr.  II,  §  26),  ned, 
nead,  neod,  I/,  ned,  neod,  neode,  O.  ned,  ace.  nede),  724  f 
(:  drede  n.),  ion  f  (:  spede  3  sg.  pr.  subj.)\  ned^,  1342, 
2137. 

-nesse,  termination,  (A.S.  -nes,  -nis,  -nys,  L,.  O.  P.  PI.  -nesse), 
febleness^,  24. — godenesse,    1854  f  >*    godenes,     1832    f.  - 
heuynesse,    2011   f. — lyknesse,   1080  f. — sekenesse,  25  f  ; 
sekeness<?,  1966. —  shrewdenesse,   1627  f,   1853  f. —  wikked- 
nesse,  1813  f  ;  wikkednes,  1831  f.  — worthynesse,  1628  f. 

Rhyme  words.  —  Nouns  in  -nesse  except  the  following  :  distresse 
n.  (25,  2011),  gesse  inf.  (1080,  1813). 

quene  (A.S.  cwen,  cwsen  ;  also  cwene,  -an,  cf.  Cosijn,  Altws. 

Gr.  II,  §  26  ;  IA  quen,  quene,  L,b.  cwean,  cweane,  cwene, 

O.  cwen),    1409  f  (:  sustene  inf.),   1535  f  ( :  shene  voc.  post. 

adj.)  ;  quen<?,  241,  1512.  — quene,  1271. 
querne  (A.S.  cweorn,  cwyrn),  1798  f  (:  wernezVz/.). 
reste    (A.S.    rest,    rsest,    I/,    reste,    dat.,   Lb.  raste,   dat.,   O. 

resste),   2017  f  (:  breste  inf.)  ;  reste,  654  ;  rest  (+  vowel), 

1956. 
Roode  (A.S.  rod,  I/.  O.  rode),  2  f,  57  f  (both:  to  goode  prep. 

phr.). 
routhe    (not  in  A.S.  ;    formed  from  the    verb  reouwen,  A.S. 

hreowan,  on  the  analogy  of  other  abstract  nouns  in  -th  ;  cf. 

O.  N.  hrygS,  hryggva  ;  I/,  reofte,  reouSe,  Lb.  rou)?e),  332  f, 

383  f>  396  f,  614  f ;  routhe,  2012. 

Rhyme  words.  — trouthe  n.  (332,  614),  vntrouthe  n.  (383,  396). 
rowe  (A.S.  raw,  new,  A.  R.  a  rewe,  P.  Plc.  rewe,  by  rewe), 

448  f,  1451  f,  1835  f ;  rewe,  1692  f. 

Rhyme  words.  — knowe  inf.  (448,  145 r),  fewe/»ro.  (1692),  knowe 

PP-  (1835)- 
shonde    (A.S.    sceond,    scond,    sceand,   scand,  L.  sconde,  O. 

shande),  88  f  (:  stonde  inf.). 
sleight  (O.  .N.  slcegS,  slseg«  ;  not  in  A.S.  ;  IA   sleh]>e,    dat., 

sleah]?e,  nom.,  slef|>e,  P.  Plb.  sleighte,   P.   Plc.  sleithe),  462 

(H-  vowel). 


II 

slouthe  (A.S.   slaewS,    L.    slauSe,   P.    Pla.    sleu^the,    P.   Plb. 

sleuthe),  1764  f  (:  trouthe  n.). 

soule  (A.S.  sawol,  L,.  saule,  O.  sawle),  1612  ;  soulc7,  43. 
speche  (A.S.   sprsec,   spree,  L,.  W.  S.  spaec,  spec,  L,.  spaeche, 

speche,  O.  spaeche),  781  f,  1071  f,  2066  f ;  speche,  278,  331, 

783,  818,  824,  832,  849,  856,    1028  ;  specli  (  +  vowel),  762, 

1074.     There  is  but  a  single  example  before  a  consonant 

(766).     Here  PCT,  correctly,  - 

And  euery  speche  that  is  spoken  ;  F  B,  - 
And  euery  spech  that  ys  y spoken. 
Rhyme  words.  — teche  inf.  (781,  1071),  eche  inf.  (2066.). 
stevene  (A.S.  stefn,  stemn,  L.  stef(e)ne,  steuene,  O.  steffne), 

561  f  (:  nevene  inf.'}. 

stound^  (A.S.  stund,  L.  stunde,  O.  stunnd),  2071. 
strengthe     (A.S.    strengSu,    strengS,     L,.    streng]>e,    strenSe, 

O.  strennc]?e),  1980  f  (:  lengthe  n.}. 
strete  (A.S.  straet,  stret,  La.  straete,  stret,  Lb.  straet,  O.  strsete), 

939  f  (:  hete  calor),  1049  f  (:  fete  n.}. 
syghte  (A.S.  gesiht),  I/,  siht,  nom.,  sehte,  isihSe,  sih^eSe,  dat.t 

Lb.  seht,  nom.,  sihte,  dat.,  O.  sihhpe),  468  f  (:  highte  j  pi. 

pt.  ind.}  ;  syght[e],    1016  f  (:  bryght  adv.}.      But  in  the 

latter  example  all  omit  -e  in  both  syght  and  the  rhyme- word, 
trouthe  (A.S.  treowS,  treowSu,  L,.  treouSe,  O.  trowwfe),   331  f, 

613  f,  1763  f  ;  trouthe,  297,  889  ;  trouthf,  807. 

Rhyme  words.  — routhe  n.  (331,  613),  slouthe  «.  (1763). 
tyde  (A.S.   tid,   L.   tide,  dat.t   O.   tid),   1951   f  (:  wide  pred. 

adj.  pi.). 

vntrouthe  (A.S.  untreowS),  384  f,  395  f  (both  :  routhe  ».). 
while  (A.S.  hwil,  I,,  while,  O.  whil,  while),  415  f  (:  He  ».)• 

1287  f  (:  berile  ».),  1484  f  (:  Virgile)  ;  while,   1417  ;  while 

hee,  904  ;  white,  1019,  1994. 
wounde  (A.S.  wund,  L.  O.  wunde,  obi.*),  374. 

10.  Nouns  in  -yng,  -ynge. 

I.     There  is  in  H.  F.  no  case  of  a  noun  in  -ynge  rhyming  with 
an  infinitive. 

11.  Here    follow    all   cases   in   rhyme   of   nouns    (including 
(<  gerunds  ")  in  -ynge.     Where  no  note  is  added,  the  rhyme- 
word  is  another  noun  in  -ynge. 

askynge,    1700  f  (:  thinge  n.}. — blodeshedynge(s),    1241   f. 

—  clarion  ynge  (s),    1242    f.  —  enclynynge,    734,  f  (:  thynge 
n.).  —  fleynge,  1523  f.  —  forswerynge,   153  f.  —  humblynge, 
1039  f.  — knowynge,  892  f  (:  thinge  n.}.  — lesynge,   154  f. 

—  murmuryng,    1524   f.  —  sterynge,   800  f  (:   goynge  pres. 
part.).  —  thundringe,  1040  f. 


12 

III.  Nouns  in  -yng,  -ynge,  before  consonants. 

comynge,  537.  —  crowdyng,  1359.  —  felynge,  552.— gynnynge, 
66.  — kunnynge,  1168,  2056.  — weddynge,  244.  — writynge, 
1161. 

IV.  Nouns  in  -yng,  -ynge,  before  vowels. 

axyng,    1541. — betyng<?,    1034.  —  engendryng^,  968. — hold- 

yng£5  692. —  lesyng^,  2089. — magnyfying*?,  306.  —  movyng^, 

812.  — rowtyng<?,  1933.  — turnyng^,  182.  —  weping<?,  1199.  — 

wynnyng*?,  1972. 
1 1 .     The  following  feminine  nouns  with  long  stem-syllables  do 

not  take  -e  in  H.F.  (cf.  Child,  §  17)  : 

(i.)    « -stems,  — feoht;    (ii. )    /-stems,  — miht,  \rift,  wiht, 

weorold ;  (iii.)  consonant-stems, — boc,  niht. 

For  other  feminine  nouns  which  in  H.  F.   sometimes  or 

always  lack  final  -e,  cf.  loue,  §  8  ;    blys,   -nesse,  queue,   §  9  ; 

nouns  in  -ynge,  §  10  ;  and  hond(e),  §  13. 
boke  (A.S.  boc,  L,.  O.  boc),    1093;  booke,   429;  bok<?,   712; 

booktf,  426  ;  at  another  book(e),  656  f  (:  looke  n.  nom.}. 
fyght  (A.S.  feoht,  fyht,  L.  feht,  fseht,  feiht,  feoht,  fiht,  dat. 

fihte,  fuhte),  1241  (+  vowel).      This  example  is  of  course 

not  decisive, 
myght  (A.S.  mi(e)ht,  meaht,  L.  mihte,  O.  mihht,  mihhte), 

41  f,  49  f,  80  f,  528  f,  1091  f,  1693  f,  2023  f,  2146  f ;  myght 

(      vowel),  971. 

Rhyme  words. — a-nyght  (41),  aryght  (49,  80,  528,  2023),  lyght 

n.  (1091),  bryght/totf.  adj.  voc.  (1693),  wight  n.  (2146). 
nyght  (A.S.   ni(e)ht,   neht,  neaht  ;  1^.   niht,   O.   nihht),    112 

(+  cons.)  ;  a-nyght,  42  f  (:  myght  n.)  ;  a  nyghte,   632  ;  be 

nyght  (+  vowel),  1953. 

thrift  (O.N.  frift),  1847  (+  cons.)  ;  thrifte,  1786. 
wight  (A.S.  wiht,  wuht,  wyht,  /".  and  n.,  Sievers,  §  267,  n.  3  ; 

L,.  wiht,  whit,  O.  wihht,  P.  Plb.  wyght,  P.  Plc.  wight,  wiht, 

wi3t),    1076  f,    2061   f,    2145  f;  wyght,    1830    f;  wight(e), 

1626  f;  before  consonants,  wight,    1808,   2043;  wyght,    276, 

1565;  before  h,  wight,  1682,  1877. 

Rhyme  words. — ryght  adv.  (1076,  2061),  lyghte  post.  adj.  sg. 

(1626),  a  ryght  (1830),  myght  n.  (2145). 
world    (A.S.    woruld,    W.    S.    weorold ;    I,,  weorld,    weorlde, 

weoreld,  weoruld,  woreld,  world,  worlde,  O.  weorelld),  1932 

(+  cons.)  ;  world  hyt,  1525;  worlde,  100,  1640,  1721,  1746, 

2038  ;  worlds,   906,    1674,   1770,   1807.     In  1724  we  have  a 

harsh  verse,  but  it  can  hardly  be  that  we  should  read  worlde  : 

That  through  the  worlde  went\e\  the  soun. 


13 

12.  Apocope  of  A.S.  -n  in  nouns  is  found  in  H.  F.  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  (cf.  Child,  §  15  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  203,  207). 

eve  (A.S.  iefen,  efen,  n.  andra.,  LA  aeuen,  V.  heue,  O.  efenn), 
876  f  (:  leve  i  sg.  pr.  sub/.),  2106  f  (:  leve  n.). 

game  (A.S.  gamen,  gomen,  n.,  L.  gomen,  gamen,  game), 
664  f,  822  f,  886  f,  1199  f»  J474  f  >'  game>  1810. 

»Rhyme  words. —  Fame  n.  (664,  822,  1199,  J474)>  lame^r.  «.  (886). 

morwe  (A.S.  morgen,  margen,  m.,  L,.  mo^en,  mor^e,  morwe, 
P.  PI.  morwe,  morwen),  morwe  how,  225  ;  morwe  or,  2106. 

wyndmelle  (A.S.  wind  +  mylen,  m.},  1280  f  (:  telle  inf.). 

13.  Hand  (A.S.  hond,  fern,  u-stem.). 

honde  (A.S.  hond,  hand,/.,  L.  hond,  hand,  dat.  hande,  honde, 
O.  hand,  wi]>]>  hand,  hande),  on  honde,  1009  f  (:  stonde 
3  pi.  pr.  ind.)  ;  in  honde,  1877  f  0  stonde  i  sg.  pr.  ind.)  ; 
in  hys  honde,  171  f  (:  of  the  londe)  ;  with  your  ryght  honde, 
322  f  (:  bonde  n.  nom.}  ;  on  my  ryght  hond(e),  1294  f 
(:  fonde  i  sg.  pt.  ind.}  ;  hand*  hit,  741. 

It  will  be  observed  that  final  -e  is  written  in  all  the  examples 
cited.  Moreover,  this  -e  uniformly  appears  in  all  other  authorities 
save  171  (BPC).  Certainly  it  is  sounded  in  the  phrases  on  honde, 
tn  honde,  (1009,  ^877), — the  rhyme  words  evidence  that.  But  it 
is  clearly  wrong  when  rhyming  with  fonde,  i  sg.  pt.  ind.  (1294). 
Is  it  not  probable  then  that  -e  is  equally  idle  in  171,  322?  Note  the 
rhyme  words.  Wi.,  Sk.  and  He.,  however,  all  retain  -e. 

14.  The    following    masculine   and   neuter   nouns  which   in 
Anglo-Saxon  end  in  a  consonant  in  the  nominative,  some- 
times or  always  take  an  -e  in  one  or  more  cases  in  H.  F.  : 
(i.)  masculines-stems, —  circul,  dud,  epistol,  f&r  (/er),   -had, 
heap,  heofon,    hrtzfn,    mi&,    pin,   sl&p,    weg ;     (ii.)    neuter 
0-stems, — bond,  crest,  fyr,gcet  (geaf) ,  gear  (  ger} ,  god,  hus, 
lif,  lond,  stip,  swefen  (swefn),   tempel,  wolcen ;    (iii.)   neuter 
/-stems, — gefer,     {ge)wiht;     (iv.)    masculine     consonant- 
stem  ,  — fot. 

The  MSS.  of  the  Hous  of  Fame  are  very  imperfect,  and  in 
almost  numberless  cases  final  -e  is  written  uniformly  when  it 
manifestly  has  no  value.  Scansion  is  a  nearly  infallible  test 
of  this  when  the  word  occurs  within  the  verse,  and  at  the 
end  the  rhyme-word  frequently  settles  the  matter  with  cer- 
tainty. Disregarding  then  the  cases  in  which  -e  can  thus  be 
proved  idle,  these  words  seem  to  have  final  ~e  mainly  in  cer- 
tain "  petrified  phrases  "  (cf.  Kluge  in  Paul's  Grundriss,  I, 
900).  These  are  the  phrases  which  have  led  to  the  belief 


that  the  regular  ending  of  the  dative  in  Chaucer  is  -e, 
whereas,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  dative  occurs  much  more 
commonly  without  -e  than  with  it.  It  is  in  these  idiomatic 
phrases  that  -e  is  sounded, — phrases  which  had  probably 
come  to  be  accepted  and  written  without  analysis  and  with- 
out conscious  inflection  (compare  the  modern  acceptance  of 
such  expressions  as  afire,  alive,  asleep^.  The  dative  ending 
was  preserved  in  these  idioms,  but  the  force  of  the  dative  as 
such  was  no  longer  felt  (cf.  Kittredge  and  Manly,  §  14). 
This  is  pretty  certainly  the  explanation  of  final  -e  in  the  fol- 
lowing phrases  found  in  H.  F.  :  for  fere,  a  fire,  a  lyve,  on 
lyve,  on  slepe,  to  y ere.  To  these  we  may  add  with  reasonable 
certainty  to  goode,  on  an  hepe,  and  perhaps  to  shippe.  With 
these  we  should  include  in  fere,  unless  we  take  it  that  gefer 
has  been  influenced  by  gefera. 

But  no  such  explanation  accounts  iorfote  in  half  afote,  a 
fote  brede  of  space  ;  and  the  same  remark  holds  for  mouthe, 
pyne,  both  of  which  follow  prepositions.  In  the  case  of 
bonde,  -hede,  house,  londe,  there  is  at  least  reasonable  doubt 
whether  -e  should  be  pronounced.  In  cercle  (A.S.  circul) 
and  temple  (A.S.  tempel)  the  -e  is  compensatory  for  the  loss 
of  an  interior  vowel.  Compare  also  heuene  (A.S.  heofon), 
sweuene  (A.S.  swefen),  wolkene  (A.S.  woken),  in  which  it 
is  hard  to  say  whether  the  ultimate  or  the  penultimate  -e  is 
sounded.  For  many  examples  of  idle  final  -e  in  masculine 
and  neuter  nouns,  see  §  18,  below. 

bonde  (A.S.  band,  n.  (bande,  pi.,  Pet.  Chron.),  Sweet,  254  ; 
but  the  regular  A.S.  form  is  bend,  m.  and/.,  see  Sievers, 
§  266,  n.  2  ;  O.  band),  nom.,  321  f  (:  with  your  ryght  honde). 
But  is  -e  sounded  here  ?  It  is  uniformly  written,  and  Sk.  and 
He.  retain  it.  See,  however,  observation  under  honde,  §13. 

borde,  see  §  18. 

carte  (A.S.  craet,  n.,  L.  carte,  O.  karrte,  P.  PI.  cart-whel), 
Hym  slowe  and  fer  from  the  cart  cast  [e] ,  956.  But  PCT 
are  more  likely  correct  :  Hym  slowe  and  fro  the  cart[e] 
cast[e].  — carte,  nom.,  944  ;  carte,  ace.,  943. 

cercle  (A.S.  circul,  m.,  but  influenced  by  O.  F.  cercle),  nom., 
815  ;  sercle,  nom.,  791  ;  a  litel  roundell  as  a  sercle,  791  f 
(:  couercle  «.). 

clouds  (A.S.  chid,  m.,  L,.  elude),  ace.,  978. 

deth,  see  §  18. 

epistik  (A.S.  epistol,  pistol,  m.},  ace.,  379. 

fere   (A.S.    gefer,    n.,   perhaps   influenced  by  gefera,  m.,   or 
even  confused  with  it;    I/,    ifere,    iueore),   in  fere,    250 f 
(:    manere  n.}. 


15 

fere  (A.S.  fser,  fer,  *».),  for  fere,  604,  1042  ;  in  al  hys  fere, 
174  f  (:  were 3 pi.  pt.  ind.)  ;  ferc,  ace.,  607. 

fire  (A.S.  fyr,  n.,  L.  fur,  dat.  fure,  O.  fir),  afire,  1858  f  (:  hire 
n.)  ;  fir<?,  nom.,  2078  ;  be  fir^,  742  ;  of  fire,  ^1976. 

fote  (A.S.  fot,  m.,  L.  fot,  dat.  fote,  O.  fot,  o  fot,  wi]?J>  fote), 
half  a  foote,  1345  ;  A  fote  brede  of  space,  2042.  — barefote, 
98. 

goode  (A.S.  god,  n.,  O.  god,  inn  gode,  forr  gode),  to  goode, 
i  f,  58  f  {both  :  Roode  n.)  ;  good(e),  ace. ,  1714  f  (:  woode 
pred.  adj.  pi.),  1748  f  (:  for  wode  madly}. — goode,  ace., 
1088  ;  good  (+  cons.),  ace.,  1566,  1998;  good  (+  vowel), 
1628,  1795,  1975. 

grounde,  see  §  18. 

-hede  (suffix,  A.S.  had,  m.,  Lb.  child-hode,  man-ede  ;  O. 
ma^denn-had,  ma^-had ;  P.  PI.  maiden-hod,  man-hede, 
man-hod,  knyght-hod),  godelyhede,  330  f  (:  dede  n.)  ; 
godelyhed(e),  273  f  (:  hede  n.  ace.}.  It  is  quite  certain 
that  -e  is  not  pronounced  in  the  latter  example,  and  the 
same  may  be  true  of  the  first. 

hepe  (A.S.  heap,  m.,  1^.  hsep,  hep,  dat.  -e),  on  an  hepe,  2148 
f  ( :  lepe  inf. ) . 

heuene  (A  S.  heofon,  m.,  also  L.  W.  S.  heofone,  /.,  Bright, 
s.  v.,  L.  heouene,  heofne,  O.  heoffne,  heffne),  in  heuene, 
1008  f,  i254f;  heuene,  ace.,  i375f;  before  consonants,  (dis- 
syllabic), to  the  heuene,  164  ;  to  heuene,  591  ;  of  heuen, 
1087  ;  before  vowels,  to  the  heuene,  495  ;  be-twexen  heuene, 
715  ;  in  heuen,  949  ;  amyddys  ....  heuen,  846. 

Rhyme  words.  — sevene  (1008,  1375),  nevene  inf.  (1254). 

hors,  see  §  18. 

house  (A.S.  hus,  n.,  O.  hus),  to  Fames  house,  786  f  (:  of 
a  Mouse).  In  this  example  the  several  authorities  are 
a  unit  in  showing  -e,  and  Wi.,  Sk.  and  He.  retain  it.  It 
seems  quite  probable,  however,  that  this  -e  should  not  be 
sounded.  —  in  al  that  hous  that,  1064;  this  hous  hath, 
1945  ;  vpon  this  hous  tho,  1989  ;  in  this  hous  was,  2030  ; 
hous  (4-  vowel),  891,  1070,  1105,  1114,  1925,  1935,  1977, 
1987,  2 1 21  ;  hous^  484,  655,  663,  821,  882,  1023  ;  house, 
nom.,  1942  ;  house,  ace.,  1920  ;  in  fames  house,  1027. 

londe  (A.S.  land,  lond,  n.,  L.  lond,  dat.  londe,  6.  land,  P.PP. 
lond,  P.Plb.  dat.  londe),  of  the  londe,  172  f  (:  inhyshonde)  ; 
withouten  .  .  .  lond(e),  485  f  (:  [of]  sonde)  ;  ouer  al  thys 
lond/?,  348.  But  -e  can  hardly  be  sounded  in  the  second 
example  in  rhyme,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  it  should  be  in  the 
first ;  see  remarks  under  honde,  §  13,  above. 


i6 

lyve  (A.S.  lif,  n.,  L.  lif,  on  Hue,  bi  life,  bi  Hue,  O.  lif,  dat.  lif, 
life),  on  lyve,  1168  f,  a  lyve,  2055  f. 

Rhyme  word.  —  descrive  (discryve)  inf. 

lyf(e)  acc.,  176  f,  423  f,  457  f ;  lyfo,  nom.,  36  ;  lyfe,  ace., 
258  ;  lyfe,  ##:. ,  1414  ;  phrases,  al  thy  lyf(e)  (ace.  of  time), 
200  f  ;  of  lyf(e),  1963  f.  In  the  foregoing  examples  FBT 
regularly  show  final  -e,  while  PC  lack  it.  WL,  Sk.  and  He. 
omit  -e  except  in  1963.  The  justification  for  this  distinction 
is  not  apparent. 

Rhyme  words.  — wife  n.  (176,  200,  423,  457),  stryfe  n.  (1963). 

mouthe  (A.S.  mu«,  O.  muf,  A.R.  mu3,  O.  &  N.  muj>),  Out 
of  his  trumpes  mouthe  smelde,  1685  ;  Of  euery  Philosophres 
mouthe,  757  f  (:  kouthe  adv.)  ;  to  hys  mouth(e)  (BPC 
mouth),  1679  f  (:  southe  adv.)  ;  fro  mouthe  to  mouth(e) 
(B  C  mouth),  2076  f  (:  southe  adv.).  It  can  hardly  be  that 
-e  is  sounded  in  the  last  two  examples. 

pyne  (A.S.  pin,  m.  (J),  L,.  O.  pine),  with  ful  moche  pyne, 
147  f  (:  Labyne/r.  n.)  ;  of  the  derke  pyne,  1512  f  (:  Pros- 
erpyne/r.  n.)  ;  with  al[le]  pyn*  he,  222. 

Ravens  (A.S.  hrsefn,  hraem,  m.),  ace.,  1004. 

shippe  (A.S.  scip,  n.,  L.  scip,  schip,  dat.  schipe,  P,P1.  ship, 
schup),  to  shippe,  420. 

slepe  (A.S.  slsep,  m. ,  I/,  on  slaepe,  Lb.  a-slepe,  O.  slsep,  o  slaepe), 
on  slepe,  114  ;  the  god  of  slep£,  69  ;  to  slep<?,  112. 

sothe,  see  §  18. 

swevene  (A.S.  swefen,  swefn,  n.,  I/,  sweven,  sweoven,  dat. 
swefne,  L,b.  sweven,  dat.  swevene,  P.Pla.  swevene),  9  f 
(:  evene  adv.)]  sweuene,  acc.t  79. 

temple   (A.S.   tempel  n.),   469,    1858  ;    tempi*,    1844. 

tovne,  see  §  18. 

welkene  (A.S.  wolcen,  wolcn,  n.,  pi.  wolcnu,  Pet.  Chron.  se 
wolcne,  L.  weolcne,  wolcne,  P.Plb.  walkene,  welkne,  P.P1C. 
wolkene),  in  alle  the  welkene  (or  welkene),  1601. 

weye  (A.S.  weg,  m.,  IA  wsei,  wai,  wei,  weie,  Lb.  wai.  way  ; 
dat.  I/,  waie,  wai^e,  etc.,  Lb.  weie,  waye,  O.  we3}e),  of  the 
wey[e]»  714  f  (:  sey  inf.)  ;  but  C  alone  shows  -e.  - 
wey(e),  ace.,  937  f  (:  parfeye)  ;  all  the  wey,  969  ;  be  no  way, 
I25$  ;  goo  your  wey,  1622,  1561  f  (:  welaway)  ;  a  forlonge 
way,  2064. 

wife,  see  §  18. 

wight  [e]  (A.S.  gewiht,  n.,  also  gewihte,  n.  (Sweet,  896),  I/, 
wiht,  Lb.  weht,  O.  wehhte),  739  f  (:  hight  n.)  ;  but  the 
several  authorities  lack  -e  uniformly. 


17 

yate  (A.S.  g&t,    W.  S.  geat,  ».,    L.  ^set,  $et,  3aete,  $ate,  O. 

$ate),  ace.,  1294. 
yere   (A.S.   gear,  gser,  ger,  «.,  Iy.  ^er,  dat.  $ere,  O.  $er),  to 

yere,  84  f  (:  here  3  pi.  pr.  subj.).  — euery  yere,  302. 
15.     The  following  nouns  (chiefly  Germanic),  for  which  no 

corresponding  Anglo-Saxon  etymons  can  be  cited,  sometimes 

or  always  end  in  H.  F.  in  -e  : 

(A.)     Suspicious  or   uncertified   Anglo-Saxon   words, — 

mone    (A.S.    *man,    inferred  from  m<znan),   wenche   (A.S. 

*wencel,  pi.    winclo).     (B.)     Words   from   Old    Norse,  - 

lathe,    lofte,    sherte,    skye,    trust,    tydynge,    wyndowe.     (C.) 

Probable     Middle-English    formations    from    Anglo-Saxon 

words,  —  bete,    clappe,    drede,   ferde,    hede,    swappe,    wente. 

(D.)     Of  doubtful  etymology,  — gonne,  were. 
bete  (A.S.  beatan,  vb.)y  with  stormes  bete,  1150  f  (:  hete  n.). 
clapp<?  (A.S.  clappan,   vb.  ;   cf.  M.Du.  klap,  O.H.G.  chlaph), 

1040. 
drede  (A.S.  drsedan,  vb.,  I,,  dred,  drede,  P.P1.  dre(e)de),  31  f, 

551  f,  723  f,  830  f,   1142  f,   1456  f,   1913  f ;  dred*,   1971.  - 

drede,  292. 

Rhyme  words.  — bede  inf.  (31),  dede  inf.  (551),  nede  adv.  (723), 
stede  n.  (830),  rede  inf.  (1142,  1456),  lede  inf.  (1913). 

ferde    (A.S.    fseran,     vb.  ;    cf.    M.  H.  G.    ge-vserde,  /.,    n., 

'  betrug  '),  for  ferde,  950. 

gonne  (Celtic  ?  cf.  Sheldon,  s.v.  gun},  1643  f  (:  ronne pp.)- 
hede  (cf.  O.Fris.  htide,  hode,  O.H.G.  huota,/.  ;  P.Plb.  hede), 

787. 

lathe  (O.N.  hlatSa,/),  2140  f  (:  rathe  adv.). 
lofte  (A.S.  on  lofte  (Napier,  M.L.N.,  V,  278,   Kluge,   Paul's 

Grundriss,  I,  786;   from  O.  Norw.,  O.  Icel.  loft,  n.,  later 

Icel.  lopt),  on  lofte,  1726  f  (:  softe  adv.). 
moone  (A.S.  *man,  cf.  msenan,  vb.  ;  P.P1C.  mone),  362  f  (:  to 

done  ger.  inf. ) . 
shert[e]   (A.S.  scyrte,  /.  /  from  O.N.   skyrta,  f.  ;  L,.  scurte, 

P.P1C.  sherte),  That  with  a  shert[e]  hys  lyfe  les,  1414. 
skye  (O.N.  sky,  «.),  1600  f  (:  hye  adv.). 
swapp^  (A.S.  *swap,  cf.  swapan,  vb.),  in  a  swapp^,  543. 
trust  (O.N.  traust,  n.),  1971  (+  vowel). 
tydynge   (cf.   O.N.  tiSindi,  m.,  L.  tidinge),  for  oo   tydynge, 

2109  f  (:  wringe  inf.). — tydynge,  648,   2045,  2072,  2111, 

2134  ;  tydynge,  2066. 
wenche  (A.S.  *wencel,  pi.  winclo,  O.  wenchel,  P.Pla.  wenche), 

206  f  ( :  drenche  inf. ) . 


i8 

went[e]  (A.S.  wend,/.?),  182  f  (:  went j pl.pt.  ind.). 

were  (Scotch  weir,  cf.  Skeat,  Minor  Poems,  Glossary),  in  a  were, 

979  f  (:  here  adv.). 
wyndowe  (O.N.  vindauga,  n.,  P. PI.  windowe),  At  a  wyndowe 

yn  me  broughte,  2029.     But  CT  are  probably  correct  :    And 

at  a  wyndowe  yn  me  broughte.  —  wyndowe,  2084  ;  wyndowe, 

2091. 

§  1 6.  The  following  monosyllables  may  be  put  together  :  sse 
(/-stem  w.,/.),  streaw  (ze/0-stem,  m.),  treo(w)  (ze/0-stem,  «.), 
wa  (intj.). 

see  (A.S.  sse,  partly  m.,  partly  f.,  cf.  Sievers,  §  266,  n.  3  ;  I,, 
sae,  se,  O.  sae),  133  f,  255  f,  715  f,  748  f,  751  f,  846  f,  903  f, 
1034  f;  se,  417  f  ;  see,  238,  923,  1361,  1984. 

Rhyme  words. — partee  (133),  shee  pro.  (255),  three  adj.  (715, 
846),  see  inf.  (748),  bee  3  pi.  pr.  ind.  (751),  hee  pro.  (903, 
io34),be*»/  (417). 

stre  (A.S.  streaw,  straw-berie,  strea(w)berie,  North  stre, 
Rush,  streu,  Sievers,  §§  112,  n.  i  and  3,  250  n.  i  ;  P. PI1*, 
strawe),  363  f  (:  he/™.). 

tree  (A.S.  treo(w),  n.,  North  tre,  treo,  treu(o),  Sievers,  §  250, 
2  ;  Iy.  treo,  O.  treo,  tre),  484  f  (:  see  inf.),  1108  f  (:  see 
i  sg.pr.  subj.). 

woo  (A.S.  wa,  intj.,  cf.  wea,  wk.  m.,  I,,  wa,  O.  wa,  wa33), 
what  me  ys  woo,  300  f  (:  two)  ;  a  woo  and  routhe,  396. 

§  17.  In  the  following  nouns  final  -y  comes  from  the  vocaliza- 
tion of  an  Anglo-Saxon  -g.  Cf.  also  wey  (§  14),  lady  (§5). 

body  (A.S.  bodig,  n.),  981,  1063,  1081,  1230  (slur),  1759. 
day  (A.S.  daeg,  m.~},  in  f  (:  lay  i  sg.pt.  ind.),  227  f  (:  array 
n.\  1284  f  (:  say  wV#);  day,  63,  1157,  1951. 

§  1 8.  The  following  masculine  and  neuter  nouns,  which  in 
Anglo-Saxon  end  in  a  consonant  in  the  nominative,  take 
no  -e  in  H.F.  even  in  the  dative. 

(i.)  Masculine  0-stems,1  (a)  monosyllabic,  brtsft,  catt  (?), 
ceap,  cinn,  cleric,  cniht,  copp,  craft,  cwealm,  cyning,  detiS,  dom, 
dream,  Jisc,  flod  (m.,  n.),  gast,  ge-\oht,  god,  grund,  heals, 
hearm,  ham,  hod,  horn,  hring,  hrof,  lust,  stan,  stream,  taegl, 
top(p),  tun,  weall,  wind;  (d)  dissyllabic,  castel,  deofol,  (m., 
n.),  eornest,fugol,  hlaford,  \unor,  tacen  ;  (ii.)  neuter  0-stems, 

1  ^/-sterns  that  have'  in  Anglo-Saxon  completely  identified  themselves 
with  the  ^-declension  are  not  here  distinguished  from  0-stems. 


19 

— («)  monosyllabic,  b<zc,  blod,  bord,  bras,  breost,  bur,  corn, 
fers,  folc,  ge-sceap,  glees,  gold,  grczs,  hcer,  hors,  hweol,  is,  leac, 
lead,  leoht,  los,  mist,  rim,  scinn,  sond,  sd§,  \ing,  weorc,  wif, 
wit(f)i  word ;  (V)  dissyllabic,  br<zgen,  furlong,  heafod,  iren, 
tappet,  timber,  water,  wundor ;  (iii.)  masculine  jo- stem,  — 
Pyt(f)  >'  Ov-)  masculine  /-stems,  —  dcel,  dynt,  gest,  hyll ;  (v.) 
neuter  /-stem, — flcesc ;  (vi.)  masculine  w-stems, — feld, 
sumor ;  (vii.)  masculine  consonant-stems, — freond,  monn 
(and  compounds)  ;  (viii.)  neuter  consonant-stem,  —  did. 

NOTE.  —  In  the  above  list  are  included  :     ( I )    nouns  which  show 
no  -e  ;  (2)  nouns  in  which  a  final  -e  is  elided  before  vowel  or  h, 
and  which  have  not  been  observed  in  the  Troilus  or  L.  G.  W. 
with   sounded  -e ;    (3)   nouns  in  which  final  -e  is  manifestly 
unsounded  ;  (4)  a  few  nouns  at  the  end  of  the  verse,  in  some 
of  which  it  is  barely  possible  that  -e  should  be  pronounced,  — 
corn,  heafod,  hod,  horn,  leac,  sond,  tun,  weal(l},  word. 
bak(e)  (A.S.   baec,    n.},  behynde  hys  bak(e),   977  f ;  at  my 
bak(e),  1869  f;  on  hys  bakk^,  169. 

Rhyme  word.  — spake  /  and  3  sg.  pt.  ind. 

blood(e)  (A.S.  blod,  ».),  ace.,  201  f  (:  woode  pred.  adj.  sg.}t 

with  tigres  blod^,  1459. 
bonde,  see  §  14. 

borde  (A.S.  bord,  n.},  ouer  borde,  438. 
bour(e)  (A.S.  bur,  n.},  nom.,  1186  f  (:  toure  ».)• 
bras  (A.S.   braes,   ».),  table  of  bras,   142  f ;  trumpe  of  bras, 

1637  f. 

Rhyme  word.  —  was  j  sg  pt.  ind. 
brayn  (A.S.  braegen,  n.},  of  my  brayn,  525  ;  of  her  brayn(e), 

24  f  ( :  sayne  j  pi.  pr.  ind. ) . 
brest  (A.S.  breost,  #.),  in  my  brest,  1109. 
breth  (A.S.  brseo1,  m.\  nom.,  1684. 
castel  (A.S.  castel,  m.\   1162,   1176,   1185,   1196,   1294,   1917, 

1919. 
catt(e)    (A.S.   catt,   m.},    lyke   the  swyntfe]    catt(e),    1783  f 

(:  whatte/w.). 

chep^  (A.S.  ceap,  m.},  of  chep^,  1974. 
child  (A.S.  cild,  «.),  nom.,  920. 

chyn  (A.S.  cin,  m.\  in  .   .   .   .  chyn,  1230  f  (:  skyn  n.). 
clerk  (A.S.  cleric,  clerc,  m.*),  nom.,  1487. 
cop  (A.S.  copp,  m.},  vpon  the  cop,  1166. 
corn(e)  (A.S.  corn,  n.),  of  grene  corn(e),    1224  f  (:  home  n. 

nom.).     C  alone,  however,  lacks  -e.    Wi.  has  corn  ;  Sk.  and 

He.  retain  -e. 


20 

crafte  (A.S.  craeft,  m.),  nom.,  1213;  ace.,  uoo. 
del  (A.S.  dsel,   /#.),   euerydel,   ##:. ,   880  f;    deL?,   <m\ ,   331; 
euerydel(e),  nom.,  1129  f ;  «<:<:.,  65  f;  be  a  thousaiide  del(e), 

H95  f- 

Rhyme  words. — wel  adv.  (880,   1495),  wele  adv.  (65),  stele  n. 

(1129). 
deth  (A.S.  dea$,  m.\  nom.,  323,  502  ;  dethe,  ace.,  404  ;  of  my 

deth,  325  ;  fro  the  deth<?,  413  ;  of  deeth,   1963. 
deuel  (A.S.  deofol,  m.,  n.),  The  deuel  be  hys  soules  bane,  408  ; 

fouler  than  the  deuel,  1638. 
dom(e)   (A.S.  d5m,  m.),  of  her  dom(e),  1905  f  (:  come  i  sg. 

pt.  ind.). 
dreme  (A.S.  dream,  m.),  nom.,  9,  50  ;  ace. ,  i,  58  ;  drem<?,  ace. , 

62,  517,  527  ;  of  my  dreme,  511  ;  in  drem<?,  917. 
dynt  (A.S.  dynt,  m.),  nom.,  534. 
englissh  (A.S.  englisc,  adj.),  ace.,  510. 
ernest  (A.S.  eornest,  -ost,  m.,f.),  in  ernest,  822. 
felde  (A.S.  feld,  m.),  nom.,  486  ;  feld(e),  ace.,  482  f;  in  the 

Feld(e),  540  f. 

Rhyme  word.  —  behelde  /  and  j  sg.  pt.  ind. 
fyssh  (A.S.  fisc,  m.),  nom.y  751  ;  fissh,  ace.,  1784  ;  fisshe,  ace., 

1003. 

flesh  (A.S.  flsesc,  n.),  nom.,  49. 
floods  (A.S.  fl5d,  m.,  n.),  nom.,  72  ;  in  floods,  751. 
folke,  see  §  43. 

forlonge  (A.S.  furlong,  furlang,  n.),  a  forlonge  way,  2064. 
foule  (A.S.  fugol,  m.),  nom.,  539. 

frende  (A.S.  freond,  m.),  voc.,  1871,  1873  ;  frend<?,  nom.,  582. 
gest    (A.S.    gsest,    gest,    giest,    gyst,    gist,    m.),    ace.,    288  f 

(:  lest  ».)• 
glas  (A.S.  glses,  n.),  nom.,  1289  f  ;  of  glas,  120  f,  1124  f. 

Rhyme  word.  —  was  pt.  sg.  ind. 
God  (A.S.  god,  m.,  n.),  nom.,  i  ;  god,  nom.,  74;   vnto  the 

god  of  slepe,  69  ;  to  this  god,  77. 
gold  (A.S.  gold,   n.),  nom.,    1387;    golde,    nom.,    272;    with 

gold,    1386;  of  gold,    1346  ;  of  golde,    122,    1765  ;  of  gold*?, 

503,  1678;  of  gold(e),  530  f  (:  tolde />/.). 
gost  (A.S.   gast,  m.),  in  gost,  981  f  (:  wost  2  sg.  pr.  ind.)  ; 

gost(e),  nom.,  185  f  (:  oste  ».). 

grass  (A.S.  graes,  W.S.  gaers,  «.),  withouten  ....  grass,  485. 
greke  (A.S.  Grec,  Crec),  throgh  the  greke  Synon,   152. 
grounde  (A.S.  grund,  m.),  fro  the  grounde,  905. 
hals  (A.S.   heals,   m.),  ryght  be  the  hals,  393  f  (:  falspred. 

adj.  sg.). 


21 

harme  (A.S.  hearm,  m.),  nom.,  99,  383  ;  ace.,  265,  577,  1566; 
harm<?,  ##:. ,  1045,  1677. 

hede  (A-S.  heafod,  n.),  #<:<:.,  632,  1021  ;  hed(e),  ace.,  136  f 
(:  rede  adj.  sg.  def.  post.)  ;  hed(e),  ace.,  273  f  (:  godelyhede 
n.)  ;  hed(e),  ace.,  1702  f  (:  dede  pred.  adj.  pi.)  ;  in  thy 
hede,  621  ;  by  my  hed(e),  1875  f  (:  dede  adj.  sg.  pred.)  ;  in 

myn  hed^,  1103  ;  with  her  hed  she,  1375. in  my  heued, 

550  f  ( :  a-sweued pp.). 

heere  (A.S.  hser,  her,  n.),  nom.,  1386. 

hille  (A.S.  hyll,  m.)y  of  this  hille,  1152  ;  vp  the  hille,  1166. 

hod(e)  (A.S.  hod,  m.),  in  her  hod(e),  1810  f  (:  wodepred. 
adj.  pi.).  All  authorities  show  -e,  however,  and  Sk.  and  He. 
retain  it ;  not  so  Wi. 

home  (A.S.  ham,  m.),  thou  goost  home,  655. 

horn(e)  (A.S.  horn,  m.),  nom.,  1223  f  (:  of  grene  corne). 
All  authorities  have  -ey  which  Sk.  and  He.  retain  ;  Wi.,  how- 
ever, drops  it. 

hors  (A.S.  hors,  n.),  made  the  hors  broght,  155. 

house,  see  §  14. 

knyghte  (A.S.  cniht,  m.),  nom.,  226. 

kynge  (A.S.  cyning,  cyng,  m.),  nom.,  159,  515,  916;  kyng^, 
nom.,  105,  1789  ;  with  kynge,  453  ;  by  heuen  kyng(e), 
1084  f  (:  thynge  n.). 

led^  (A.S.  lead,  «.),  nom.,  739  ;  of  led^,  1431,  1445  ;  lede, 
nom.t  1448  ;  led(e),  ace.,  1648  f  (:  rede/ra/.  adj.  sg.). 

lek(e)  (A.S.  leac,  n.)y  acc.y  1708  f  (:  eke  adv.).  But  -e  is 
uniformly  written  by  all  authorities. 

les  (?  A.S.  leas,  adj.)y  withouten  les,  1464  f  (:  Achilles). 

londe,  see  §  14. 

lord  (A.S.  hlaford,  m.)y   voc.y    1395  ;  lorde,   voc.y   1393  ;  lord^, 

nom.y    206  ;    lord(e),    258  f    (:  at  oo  worde).     In  the  last 

example  all  save  C  show  -ey  but  Wi.,  Sk.  and  He.  all  omit  it. 

'loss*  (A.S.  los(s),  n.),  For  ese  of  you  and  loss*?  of  tyme,  1256. 

luste  (A.S.  lust,  m.)y  acc.y  258. 

lest  (cf.  A.S.  lystan),  be  ...  her  nyce  lest,  287  f  (:  gest  n.). 

lyght  (A.S.  leoht,  n.)y  of  lyght,  1091  f  (:  myght  n.). 

man  (A.S.  monn,  mann,  m.)y  10,  32,  60,  99  f,  144  f,  etc.,  etc. 

mouthe,  see  §  14. 

myst(e)  (A.S.  mist,  m.)y  352  f  (:  wiste  pp.  sg.). 

pitt<?  (A.S.  pyt(t),  n.)y  nom.,   1654. 

qwalm^  (A.S.  cwealm,  cwalm,  m.),  of  qwalm<?,  1968. 

roof  (A.S.  hrof,  m.)y  nom.,  1344;  on  the  rove,  1948. 

rym£  (A.S.  rim,  n.)y  nom.,  1096  ;  in  Rym^,  623. 

ryng(e)  (A.S.  hring,  m.),  nom.,  1740  f  (:  thynge  n.). 


22 

shap  (A.S.  gesceap,  n.),  ace.,  1113. 

skyn  (A.S.  scinti,  n.,  A.S.  Chr.  1075  ;  from  O.N.  skinn),  ace., 
1230  f  (:  chyn  n.). 

slepe,  see  §  14. 

sonde  (A.S.  sand,  sond,  n.),  [of]  sonde,  486  f  (:  londe  7?.). 
But  the  several  authorities  show  -e  uniformly. 

somer  (A.S.  sumor,  m.),  in  somer,  1947. 

soth*  (A.S.  sotS,  ».),  W0W.,  351  ;  sooth,  <m-.,  1552  (+  vowel}  ; 
sothe,  a**.,  2108  ;  ace.  in  phrases,  soth  for  to,  563,  1368  ;  sothe 
for  to,  563,  960  ;  soth  to,  1842  ;  sothe  to,  1388,  1804,  1^,17  ; 
the  sothe  to,  1509;  other  phrases,  of  ...  sooth  (+  cons.'}, 
1029  ;  in  sooth  (+  cons.),  1057.  -  But,  —  for  sothe,  adv.  , 


sterisman   (A.S.   steormann,   »».),   ace.,  436  f  (:  began  j  sg. 

pt.  ind.). 

ston,  stoon  (A.S.  stan,  m.~),  nom.,  656  f,  739,  1123,  1605  f; 
ace.,  790  f  ;  of  ston  (stoon),  70  f,  1184,  1584  f  ;  of  the  ston, 
!933  f  ;  vpon  a  stoon,  1991  f. 

Rhyme  words.  —  anoon  adv.  (70,  656,  790,  1605),  gou  (goon)  inf. 
(1584,  1933,  1991). 

streme  (A.S.  stream,  m.),  vpon  a  streme,  71. 

tayll*  (A.S.  taegl,  tsegel,  m.),  ace.,  880. 

thing  (A.S.  ]>ing,  n.),  nom.,  (+  vowel),  1367,  2147;  «0w., 
thynge,  730  ;  euery  thinge,  753,  835  ;  any  thinge,  738  ; 
thyng^,  739,  746,  781,  1292;  euery  things,  351,  828; 
thyng(e),  733  f,  1083  f  ;  ace.,  thing  (-f  cons.),  1020,  1650, 
1774;  thing  (+  vowel),  2002;  thinge,  587,  1279;  thing*, 
1068,  2060;  euery  thing*,  1291  ;  thing(e),  891  f;  of  thing 
that,  959  ;  of  thys  thyng  to,  239  ;  of  thys  thynge,  53  ;  with 
somme  rnaner  thinge,  670;  lyke  a  thyng*,  1124;  for  no 
maner  other  thing(e),  1699  f.  -  no  thinge,  nom.,  350, 
1044  ;  ace.,  no  thing  nolde,  1780  ;  nothynge,  575  ;  no-thing*, 
425  ;  adv'l,  no  thynge,  1346  ;  no  thing*,  2032. 

Rhyme  words.  —  enclynynge  n.  (734),  knowynge  n   (891),  kynge 
n.  (1083),  askynge  n   (1699). 

thonder  (A.S.  )>unor,  m.),  of  thonder,  534  f,  608  f  ;  lowde  as 
any  thunder,  1681  f. 

Rhyme  word.  —  wonder  n. 

thought  (A.S.  ge]>oht,   m.),  nom.,    1923  f  ;  ace.,   1174  f  ;  voc., 
523  ;  in  her  thoght,  92  f  ;  in  thoght,  329  ;  of  thought,  973. 
Rhyme  words.  —  y-  wrought  pp.  (1174,   1924),  noghte  adv.  (92). 
tipet  (A.S.  tseppet,  n.),  on  thy  tipct,  1841. 


23 

token  (A.S.  tacen,  tacn,  n.),  ace.,  911  f  (:  spoken//.).  FBP 
lack  the  verse. 

topp£  (A.S.  top(p),  m.),  ace.,  880. 

toun  (A.S.  tun,  m.),  ace.,  484  f  (:  Region  n.)  ;  in  euery  toun, 
1580  f  (:  clarioun  «.)  ;  withouten  .  .  .  tovn^,  484  ;  tovn(e), 
ace.,  890  f  (:  adovne  adv.)  ;  in  the  tovn(e),  1849  f  (:  of 
grete  renovne) . 

tymber  (A.S.  timber,  n.),  nom.,  1980. 

vers  (A.S.  fers,  n.  ;  cf.  O.K.  vers),  nom.,  1098. 

walle  (A.S.  weal(l),  m.),  on  a  walle,  141  ;  wall(e)  (F  fl/0#£  -e), 
w0w.,  1343  f  (:  alle  omnia)  ;  on  thewall(e)  (F  alone  -e), 
211  f  (:  with-alle).  There  seems  no  real  ground  for  the 
distinction  made  by  Wi.,  Sk.  and  He.  in  retaining  -e  in  211 
and  omitting  it  in  i$43,  particularly  when  the  variants  in 
both  cases  uniformly  lack  -e. 

water  (A.S.  wseter,  n.),  on  water,  789  ;  of  the  watir,  814. 

werke  (A.S.  weorc,  n.),  of  olde(/.  golde)  werke,  127  ;  of  good 
werke(s),  1558. 

wif(e)  (A.S.  wif,  n.),  nom.,  175  f ;  to  hys  wif(e),  424  f,  458  f. 
Rhyme  word.  —  lyfe  n.  ace. 

wit  (A.S.  wit(t),  7i.),  nom.,  1180;  ace.,  wit,  1898  f;  wyt, 
950  f,  1175  ;  wytte,  16  ;  wytt(e),  328  f,  620  f ;  of  wit,  1972  ; 
to  my  witt(e),  702  f,  1377  f ;  to  my  wytte,  3. 

Rhyme  words. — yit  adv.  (328,  950,  1898),  yitte  adv.  (620,  1377), 
hy tte  pro.  (702). 

wynde  (A.S.  wind,  m.),  ace.,  1598  ;  wynde,  nom.,  1803  ;  with 
wynde,  230;  the  god  of  wynd(e),  1571  f  (:  blynde,  pred. 
adj.  sg.).  But  the  passage  in  which  the  last  example  occurs 
is  corrupt.  CT  show  wynde  rhyming  with  fynde  inf.,  and 
Sk.  and  He.  adopt  this  reading  ;  not  so  Wi. 

whele  (A.S.  hweol,  «.),  nom.,  ^794;  ace.,  1450;  whel(e),  ace., 
794  f  ( :  wel  adv. ) . 

woman  (A.S.  wifmann,  m.),  nom.,  261,  269,  279,  1082. 

wonder  (A.S.  wundor,  w.),  nom.,  913  ;  ace.,  533  f,  607  f, 
1069  f,  1378,  1682  f ;  wounder,  ace.,  806  f. 

Rhyme  words. — thonder  (thunder)  n.   (533,   607,    1682),   vnder 
adv.  (806),  yonder  adv.  (1069). 

word  (A.S.  word,  n.),  nom.,  881  ;  ace.,  1080  ;  with  this  word, 
884,  960  ;  of  euery  word,  877  ;  word^,  nom.,  809  ;  ace.,  819, 
1077  ;  with  this  word*?,  2027  ;  with  that  worde,  1567  ;  with 
this  worde,  1046,  1085  5  at  °°  word(e),  257  f  (:  lorde  n. 
nom.).  In  the  last  example  the  several  authorities  are  at  one 
in  writing  -e. 


24 

yren    (A.S.    iren,    n.),    nom.,   1446  ;  of  yren,   1466,   1498  ;  of 

....  yren,  1431,  1445,  1482. 
yse  (A.S.  is,  #.),  of  yse,  1130. 

The  five  Anglo-Saxon  kinship  nouns  in  -r,  fader,  modor, 
broker,  sweostor,  dohtor,  — 

fader  (A.S.  faeder,  m.),  nom.,  194;  ace.,  168  ;  ffader,  ace.,  442. 

moder  (A.S.  modor,  yi),  nom.,  1983. 

brother  (A.S.  brottor,  m.),  nom.,  2101  f ;  voc.,  795  f,  816  f. 

Rhyme  word.  —  other  pro. 

suster    (A.S.    sweostor,  /.),    nom.,    1547  ;  ace.,    419  ;    on  hir 

suster,  367. 
doghtre   (A.S.   dohtor,  /.),     That   kynges  doghtre    [was]    of 

Trace,  391.     PCT  show  was,  and  also  spell  -er. 

§  19.  The  following  nouns  of  Germanic  origin,  which  have  no 
substantives  to  represent  them  in  Anglo-Saxon,  end  in  H.  F. 
in  a  consonant : 

A-bood  (cf.  A.S.  abidan,  vb.),  of  A-bood,  1963. 

basket  (etym.  dub.),  amonge  a  basket,  1687. 

bush  (cf.  O.N.  buskr,  buski,  O.H.G.  busc),  withouten  .... 

bush,  485. 

caste  (O.N.  kasta,  vb.,  kQstr,  m.),  ace.,  1178. 
kep(e)  (cf.  A.S.  cepan,  vb.),  ace.,  437  f  (:  slepe  j  sg.  pt.  ind.). 
look(e)  (cf.  A.S.  locian,  vb.\  nom.,  657  f  (:  at  another  booke). 
pot(-ful)    (etym.   dub.  ;  cf.   L,.G.,   Du.,   Dan.,  Fr.  pot),  ace., 

1686. 
skyll(e)  (O.N.  skil,  n.},  726  f  (:  wille  I  sg.  pr.  ind.}.     BCT 

lack  -e,  but  it  may  be  that  we  should  follow  F  B  and  retain  it. 
stroke  (cf.  A.S.  strican,  vb.),  withe  the  stroke,  779. 
swogh  (cf.  A.S.  swogan,  vb.),  ace.,   1031    f  (:  y-nogh  adv.)  ; 

for  the  swough,  1941. 
tydynge,  see  §  15. 
vnhapp^  (A.S.  un  +  O.N.  happ,  n.),  fro  vnhapp^,  89. 

§  20.  In  Romance  nouns  final  -e  (-<?  mute)  is  usually  retained, 
both  in  writing  and  in  sound,  except  for  the  regular  elision. 
But  there  are  a  good  many  exceptions,  in  some  of  which  the 
-e  is  preserved  in  writing  but  loses  its  value  as  a  syllable,  in 
others  of  which  the  -e  is  neither  written  nor  pronounced. 
(Cf.  Child,  §  19  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  222,  223). 


25 

For  details  see  the  following  sections  ($$  21-31).  — §  21.  Miscel- 
laneous Romance  nouns  in  -e  which  sometimes  or  always  retain 
-e  in  H.  F. —  \  22.  Exceptions  to  \  21.  —  \  23.  -aunce. — §  24. 
-ence.  —  |  25.  -esse.  —  \  26.  -w».  —  \  27.  -«r*.  —  $  28.  -£r<?.  —  §  29. 
chambre,  ordre,  etc. — §  30.  -yV,  -2<?. — §31.  contr&rye,  stdry, 
etc. 

21.  Miscellaneous  Romance  nouns  in  -e  (-e  mute)  which  some- 
times or  always  retain  -e  in  H.  F.  A  few  words  which  have 
no  direct  French  etymons  are  included  in  this  list. 

acord*?,  1964. — age,  1986  f  (:  cage  n.). — arryvage,  223  f 
(Cartage  pr.  «.), — Aryvayle,  451  f  (:  Itayle  pr.  n.). — 
bataylle,  1447  f  (:  faille  n.).  — bawm^,  1686.  — bible,  1334  f 
(:  impossible  adj.). — cage,  1985  f  (:  age  n.). — carbuncle, 
1363. —cause,  369,  747,  1543,  1563,  1875,  1885  ;  caus<?,  20, 
52,  612. — cav<?,  70,  1584. — charge,  1439  f  (:  large  pred. 
adj>  sg.).  — compleynt  [e] ,  924  f  (:  dreynt  j  sg.  pt.  ind.)  ; 
compleynt  (-\-cons.),  ^362. — cornemuse  and,  1218. — cote 
(armure),  1326. — couercle,  792  f  (:  sercle  n.). — crevace, 
2086  f  (:  pace  inf.). — crowne,  1825  f  (:  sowne  inf.).— 
cubite,  1370  f  (:  lytepred.  adj.  sg.).  — disese,  89  f  (:  plese 
inf.). — doute,  598  f,  2005  f  (both:  aboute  adv.),  1037  f 
(:  route  ^/).  —  Bgle,  499,  501,  991,  mo,  1990;  Egte,  529. 
-entent[e],  2000  f,  2132  f  (both  :  went  3  sg.pt.).  — ese, 
J753  f  0  plese  inf.),  1767  f  (:  lese  n.)  ;  es^,  1750,  2020.  - 
fable,  1479  f  (:  fauorable  adj.).  —  face,  139,  1402,  925  f 
(:  place  n.).  — faille,  188  f,  1448  f ;  fayle,  429  f. 

Rhyme  words.  — Itayle  (188,  429),  batayle,  n.  (1448).  — 

Fame  (fame),  305  f,  663  f,  821  f,  1146  f,  i2oof,  1276  f,  1311  f, 
1406  f,  1412  f,  1461  f,  1473  f,  1490  f,  1555  f,  1609  f,  1619  f, 
1695  ^  1715  f,  1735  f,  1762  f,  1815  f,  1848  f,  1872  f,  1899  f, 
21 1 1  f ;  349,  844,  1023,  1070,  1560,  1662,  1674,  1709,  1712, 
1728,  1836,  1902  ;  Fain,?  (fam<?),  703,  1404,  1436,  1485,  1502, 
1510,  1545,  1617,  1852.  In  1105  there  may  be  apocope  of 
-e  :  The  Hous  of  Fame  for  to  descryve.  But  C  lacks  for, 
and  this  is  probably  the  correct  reading. 

Rhyme  words.  — game  n.  (663,  821,  1200,  1473),  shame  ».  (1815), 

Dame  n.  (1848),  name  (the  rest).  — 

famyne,  1974  f  (:  ruyne  n.).  —  flaumb^,  769.  —  flowte,  1223. 
-fors,  see  §  22.  — fortune,  1547  f  (:  in  comune)  ;  fortune, 
2016. — grace,   85  f,   240  f,   661  f,    1087  f,    1586  f,    1790  f, 
2007  f ;  grace,  1550;  grac^,  1537. 

Rhyme  words. —place  n.  (85,   661,    1087),   Trace  pr.  n.    (1586, 
1790),  pace  inf.  (240),  solace  inf.  (2007).  — 


26 

herbe,  290  f  (:  proverbe  n.*).  — heremyte,  659  f  (:  lyte  pred. 
adj.  sg.).  — He,  416  f  (:  while  n.)  ;  yle,  440  f  (:  Cybile  pr. 
n.).  —  lape,  414  f  (:  escape  inf.}  ;  lap^,  96.  —  loye,  156  f, 
1471  f  (both:  Troye^r.  n..)  ;  ioy[e],  83,  1833.  —  langag^, 
861. —  laude,  1575  f  (:  hiraude  inf. )  ;  lawde,  1796  f  (:  Isaude 
pr.  n.)  ;  L,aud<?,  1673. — laure,  1107. — madame  (Dame), 
1553,  1842,  1863,  1847  f  (:  fame  n.). — merite,  669  f 
(:  queyte  inf.),  2019  f  (:  lyte  pred.  adj.  sg.).  —  Muse,  1399. 
-noyse,  1927  f  (:  oyse  pr.  n.)  ;  noyse,  1058  ;  noys<?,  783, 
819,  1521  ;  noyse,  193.1,  2141. — oure,  1157  f  (poure  inf.). 
-peple,  360,  1745  ;  pepil,  1283.  —  peyne,  232  f,  312  f  (both  : 
pleyne  inf.)-,  payne,  1118  f  (:  spayne  pr.  n.)  ;  peyn[e], 
1570. — pilgrimage,  116. — place,  86  f,  662  f,  719  f,  842  f, 
852  f,  926  f,  1088  f,  mi  f,  1163  f,  1169  f,  1237  f,  1356  f, 
1459  f,  1956  f,  2041  f,  2092  f  ;  1893,  I9!4»  1996  ;  place  hye, 
1133;  plac^,  834,  836,  843,  1047,  IIJ5- 

Rhyme  vords.  — pace  inf.  (719,  842,  852,  1956,  2092),  pace  /  sg. 
pr.  subj.  (mi),  pace  i  sg.  pr.  ind.  (1356),  grace  n.  (86,  662, 
1088),  space  n.  (1237,  2041),  face  n.  (926),  compace  «.  (1169), 
deface  inf.  (1163),  stace  pr.  n.  (1459).  — 

pouchy   1349.  — pouerte,   88.  — preve,  989  f  (beleve  inf.)  ; 
prevef  (BPT^mffJi  -e),  878.  — proverbe,  289  f  (:  herbe  n.). 

—  Realms,  704. — rethorike,  859  f  (:   lyke  inf.). — roche, 
in6f  (:  aproche  inf. )  ;  roche,  1123;  roch<?,   1130. — route, 
1703  f  (:  loute  inf.),   1823  f,   2119  f  (both:  aboute  adv.)  ; 
route,   1771. — ruyne,   1974  f  (:  famyne  n.~). — Secte,   1432. 

—  sir  (-f  vowel),  643.  — space,   1054  f>   I23^  f>  2042  f  (all : 
place  ?z.)- — stew<?  (cf.  O.K.  estuve),   26. — table,   1278.- 
terme,    392.  —  trone,    1384;   trom?,    1397. — trumpe,    1240, 
1670,  1672,  1865  ;  trumps,  1624,  1637,  1678,  1765. 

22.     Exceptions  to  §  21. 

best  (O.K.  beste),  1003  (+  vowel ) .  —  broche  (O.F.  broche), 
1740.  — Fantom<?  (O.F.  fantosme),  493  ;  affaintome,  *n.  — 
fors  (O.F.  force),  999,  ion,  1910, — only  in  expression  no 
fors,  and  in  every  case  before  consonants.  —  garlande  (O.F. 
garlande),  135. — magike  (O.F.  magique),  1269  f  (:  syke 
pred.  adj.  sg.)  ;  magike(s),  1266. — marvaylle  (O.F.  mer- 
veille),  1372  ;  but  P  C  T  show  a  verse  without  this  word.  - 
pelet  (O.F.  pelote,  pilote),  1643  (+  vowel ) .  —  poete  (O.F. 
poete),  1499  ;  poete,  1483.  The  last  verse  is  harsh,  however 
it  be  read.  — pres  (O.F.  presse),  167  f  (:  Anchises),  1633  f 
(gilteles  adv.)  ;  prees,  1358,  1359  f  (:  dees  n.). — sours 
(O.F.  sourse),  +  vowel,  544,  551. —  tempest  (O.F.  tempeste), 


27 

+  vowel,  435,  1036  ;  +  consonant,  220,  221  ;  tempests,  209. 
—  See  also  prayer,  ryver,  §  28. 

23.  Nouns  in  -aunce,  -ance. 

This  ending  does  not  occur  before  a  consonant  in  H.F.     All 

rhyme-words  are  given  except  nouns  in  -aunce. 
acustumaunce,  28  f.  —  daunce,  639  f  (:  avaunce  inf.).  —  dist- 
aunce,  18  f. — dysordynaunce,  27  f. — gouernaunce,  945  f 
(:  launce  inf.),  958  f. —  myschaunce,  957  f. —  remembrance, 
1182  f.  — signifiaunce,  17  f.  —  substance,  1181  f;  sub- 
staunce,  768. 

24.  Nouns  in  -ence. 

This  ending  always  rhymes  with  itself.  In  the  single 
example  before  a  consonant  there  is  apocope  of  -e.  (Cf.  ten 
Brink,  §  223). 

abstinence,    20 ;    Abstynence,    660.  —  advertence,     709     f.  - 
Apparence,   265  f.  —  cadence,  623  f.  —  diligence,   1099  f.  - 
dispence,  260  f.  — existence,  266  f.  — experience,  788  ;  expe- 
rience, 878  f. — reuerence,  260  f,  624  f,   1426  f. — science, 
1091. — sentence,   710  f,  776  f,  877  f,   noo  f,   1425  f  ;   sen- 
tence, 757.  —  violence,  775  f. 

25.  (I.)     Abstract  nouns  in  -esse.     (II.)     Feminine  nomina 
agentis  in  -esse. 

Nouns  in  -esse  commonly  rhyme  with  nouns  in  -esse,  -nesse. 
All  other  rhyme-words  are  indicated.  In  the  single  example 
before  a  consonant  -e  is  omitted. 

I.  distresse,  26  f,   2012  f,   1589  f  (:  presse  inf.). — gentilesse, 
1611  f  (:  blessej  sg.pr.  subj.). —  humblesse,  630  f  (:  blesse 

3  s£-  Pr-  subj.).  — larges  (-f  cons.),  1309  (bis).  — noblesse, 
471  f,  1424  f,  971  f  (:  Boesse  pr.  n.). — Richesse,  472  f  ; 
richesse,  1393  f  ;  rychesse,  1423  f ;  ryches  (F  alone  lacks  -e), 
1416  f. — For  convenience  tresse  (O.F.  tresce),  230  f,  is 
included  in  this  list. 

II.  godesse,    1394  f  ;  goddes  (F  alone  lacks  -e),   1415  f;  god- 
desse,  1406.  — hunteresse,  229  f  (:  tresse  n.). 

26.  Nouns  in  -yce,  -yse. 

There  is  apocope  of  -e  in  the  single  example  before  a  con- 
sonant. 

lustice,  1820  f  (:  vice  n.). — seruyse,  626. — vice,  276  f 
(:  nyce  adj.),  1819  f  (:  lustice  n.)  ;  vice  (so  CT  ;  FB  vices, 
monosyl.,  which  is  impossible),  1834. 


28 

27 .  Nouns  in  -ure. 

For  apocope,   see  parauenture,    792  ;  for  -e  before  a  con- 
sonant, see  auentur\e\ ,  2090.     Kxcept  as  indicated,  nouns  in 
the  following  list  rhyme  only  with  each  other, 
armure  (cote  armure),  1326  f.  —  auenture,,  463  f,  1297  f,  1982  f 
(:  endure  inf.};    auenturfe],    2090;    auentur^,    1052;    per- 
auenture,   304  f  (:  dure  j  sg.  pr.  subj.)  ;  parauenture,  792  ; 
parauenture,  1997.  —  creature,  489  f,  1365  f,  2040  f. — cure, 
464  f,  1298  f.  —  figure,  132  f.  — nature,  490  f,  1366  f,  2039  f. 
-  portreytoure,  132  f. — vesture,  1325  f. 

28.  Nouns  in  -ere. 

Here  for  convenience  are  put  chere,  manere,  matere,  prayer, 
ryver, — the  last  two  showing  no  -e. 

chere,  179  f,  671  f  (both:  here  inf.),  214  f  (:  dere  adj.  voc. 
post.),  277  f  (:  manere  n.),  1743  f  (:  bere  n.)  ;  chere,  154. 

manere,  249  f  (:  fere  n.),  278  f  (:  chere  ».),  1729  f  (:  dere 
adj.  voc.  post.).  — maner,  before  consonants,  489,  509,  670, 
1123,  1219,  1524;  before  vowels,  126,  1197,  1699;  before  h, 
375.  For  the  most  part,  maner  is  used  in  such  phrases  as 
no  maner  creature,  euery  maner  man,  somme  maner  thing  e, 
etc.  The  exceptions  are  126,  1197,  375, — the  first  two 
before  vowels,  the  last  before  h. 

matere,  861  f,  1517  f  (both:  here  inf.),  1013  f  (:  here  adv.), 
1126  f  (:  clere  adv.)  ;  maters,  637. 

prayer,  107  (+  cons.),  465  (+  vowel). 

Ryuer,  748  (+  cons.)  ;  ryver,  1653  (+  cons.). 

29.  Nouns  in  consonant  +  -re. 

chambre,  366.  —  Decembre,  63  f  (:  remembre  inf.)  ;  Decembre, 
in. — foudre  (1$  founder),  535  f  (:  poudre  n.). — ordre, 
1453  ;  ordre  (+  vowel),  1905.  — poudre  (F  powder),  536  f 
(:  foudre  n.)  ;  poudre,  1644.  — sklaundre,  1625  ;  sklaundre, 
1580.  —  soulfre,  1508. 

30.  Nouns  in  -ye,  -ze. 

When  the  ending  rhymes  with  itself,  the  rhyme-words  are 
left  unregistered. 

Armonye,  1396  f.  —  cheualrie,  1340  f  (:  asye  pr.  n.).  — com- 
panye,  1551  f  (:  lye  n.),  1607  f,  1727  f  (both:  crie  inf.), 
1657  f  (:  hye  inf.),  1690  f  (:  aspye  inf. ) ,  1811  f  ;  companye, 
1528.  — envye,  95  f,  1476  f  (:  espie  inf.).  — fantasye,  593  f 
(:  espye  inf.),  992  f  (:  crye  inf.). —  folye,  1972^ — Galoxie, 
936  f  (:  ye  n.). —  lelousye,  1971  f. —  maistrye,  1094  f  (:  gye 
inf.).  — melodye,  1395  f.  —  navye,  216  f  (:  an  hye). —  phil- 


29 

osophie,  857  f ;  Philosophye,  974  f  (:  hye  adv.}. — poetrie, 
858   f,    looi   f   (:    stellifye    inf.).—      trayterye,     1812   f. - 
tresory^,   524. — vilanye,  96   f. — Observe  also  perre  (O.F. 
pierrerie),  124;  perry  (slur),  1393. 

§31.     Nouns  in  unaccented  -ye. 

contrarye,  808  f  (:  varye  i  sg.  pr.  ind.)  ;  contraire,  1540  f 
(:  faire  adv.)  ;  contrairie,  1629  f  (:  fayre  adv.).  — lapidaire, 
1352  f  (:  faire  adj.  def.  post.  pi.).  — story  (slur),  149  ;  story 
(+  cons.},  406.  —  studye  (-ye  slurred),  30  ;  studye  (+  cons., 
dissyl.),  633. 

§  32.  A  few  Romance  words  that  end  in  a  consonant  in  Old 
French  take  a  final  -e  in  H.  F. 

Beryle  (O.F.  beril),  1184  f  (:  Gyle  pr.  n.).  —  compace  (O.F. 
compas),  1170  f  (:  place  n.)  ;  but  compas,  462  f  (:  Eneas 
pr.  n.},  798  f  (:  was  j  sg.  pt.  ind.). — pale  (O.F.  pal), 
1840  f  (:  tale  n.). — trauaylle  (O.F.  travail),  1750  f 
(:  avyalle  inf.).  — Note  also  in  comune  (O.F.  comun,  adj.}, 
1548  f  (:  Fortune  n.). 

§  33-  Words  ending  in  Old  French  in  -e  and  -ee  end  indiscrimi- 
nately in  -e  in  H.F.  (See  ten  Brink,  §  223,  V.). 

Gothic  figures  indicate  that  a  vowel  follows  without  caus- 
ing elision. 

auctorite,    2158   f. — beaute,    533,    1172;     beaute,     1177   f. — 
bounte,   1698  f.  — charyte,    108   f.  —  Citee,     1845    f;    Citee, 
2080.  — Contree,  146  f,  241  f ;  contree,  475  f,  647  f  ;  contre, 
2135   f;    Contree,    196;  contree,  224;    contree    highte,    1585. 

—  curiosite,   1178  f. — destanee,   145    f;   destanye    (trisyL), 
188.  —  faculte,  248  f.  —  lolytee,  682.  —  meynee,  194  f,  933  f. 

-pitee,  180,   316;  pitee,  325  f;  pite,   412  f. — plente,  1973. 

—  prolixite,  856  f. — subtilite,  855  f. — suerte,  723.  —  tretee 
453  f.  —  For  wo/^[e]    (O.F.  valee),  cf.  1918  f  (:seyzw/.). 

-  For  pard'e,   cf.    404  f,    575   f,   840  f,  860,  1896  f;  pardee, 
looo,  1032. 

§  34.  Romance  nouns  which  have  no  final  -e  in  French  have 
none  in  H.  F.'  (A  few  Latin  words  are  included  in  this 
section). 

For  convenience  the  examples  are  classed  as,  —  (I.)  words 
in  -er ;  (II.)  words  in  -our ;  (III.)  words  in  -ent,  -ment ; 
(IV.)  words  in  -ion,  -ioun  ;  (V.)  words  in  -s ;  (VI.)  words 
in  a  vowel ;  (VII.)  miscellaneous  words. 


30 

I.  Words  in  -er. 

botiller  (Norm.  F.  butuiller),  592  f. — corner  (O.K.  cornier), 
1052. — messanger  (O.K.  messagier),  1583,  1591;  messan- 
gere,  1568.  —  mouer,  81. — piler  (O.K.  piler,  pilier),  1428, 
1430,  1457,  1486,  1491,  1497,  1507;  peler,  1421  f  (:  clere 
pred.  adj.  sg.)  ;  piler(e),  1443  f  (:  here  adv.},  1465  f 
(:  Omere  pr.  rc.),  1481  f  (clere  adj.  post.  sg.}.  It  can  hardly 
be  that  -<?,  which  several  times  appears  in  rhyme,  is  in  any 
case  sounded.  — porter  (O.K.  portier),  1954. 

II.  Words  in  -our. 

auttour,  314.  —  fauour,   1688,   1788;    fauor  (fautor),    519.— 
honour,  635,  1416;  honour,   1611,   1752  f,   1793  f.  —  labour, 
652,  666,  ^1962;  labour,   1751  f,   1794  f. — Rasour,  690.— 
Sygamour,   1278  f. — traytour,   267.  —  tregetour,   1278  f. — 

III.  Words  in  -ent,  -ment. 

accident,  1976  f. — comaundement,  612  f,  2021  f. — element, 
976  f. — entendement,  983  f. — fundament,  1132  f. — mis- 
gouernement,  1975  f. — turment,  445. 

IV.  Words  in  -ion,  -ioun. 

avisioun,   7    f;  avision,    104  f;    a  Visyon,   513  f. — clarioun, 
1573  f>    !579  f>    i723  f>    1801  f,     i8i8f;    claryoun,    1241    f; 
clarion,  1247  f.  —  conclusion,   103  f  ;  conclusyon,  342  f,  848 
f,  871  f. — condicioun,   1904  f. — congregacioun,   2034  f . — 
contemplacion,  33  f  ;  contemplacioun,   1710  f. — demonstra- 
cion,   727  f. — descripsion,   987  f  ;  descripcioun,    1903  f. - 
destruction,    151  f.  — deuocion,  33  f,   68  f,   494  f,  666  f  - 
disposicioun,  2113  f.  —  duracioun,  2114  f.  — entencion,  93  f. 
—  Illusion,  493  f. — Inuocacion,  67   f. — mansyon,  754  f; 
mansion,    831     f. — mensyon,    56    f. — multiplicaciovn(e), 
784  f;    multiplicacion,  820  f. — nacion,   207  f. — oppinion, 
55  f.  — persuasion,  ^872.  — presumpcion,  94.  — recompensa- 
cion,  665  f,   1557  f.  — Region,  431  f,   929  ;    region,   988  f ; 
Regioun,    1641    f,  —  reuelacioun,    8  f. — savacion,    208.- 
Scorpioun,  948  f. — ymagynacion,  728  f. 

V.  Words  in  -s. 

apocalips,  1385  f.  — caas,  254  f,  578;  cas(e),  1052  f  (:  pace 
n.). — compas,  see  §  32. — dees,  1360  f,  1421,  1658.— 
encres,  2074  f . — loos,  1620,  1621,  1626,  1722,  1817,  1859, 
1900,  1965,  1667  f. — pac(e),  1051  f  (:  case  #.). — paleys, 
713,  1075,  1090. — paradys,  918  f. — pes,  1961. — processe, 
251.— purpos,  377  f.  —  trespas,  428  f.  —  vois,  556,  561, 
563  ;  voys,  819.  —  For  rubee  (O.F.  rubis),  see  1362. 


VI.  Words  ending  in  a  vowel  (not  -e}. 

affray,   553  f. — array,   228  f. — mercy,   1730;  mercy,   1874  f. 

—  neviwe,   617. — prow(e)     (O.K.    prou),    579  f    (:    nowe 
adv.}. — vertu,   526,   550,   631,    noi  ;    vertu^,    1851.  —  For 
parfey(e),  see  938  f  (:  weye  n.}. 

VII.  Miscellaneous. 

aire,  718,  779,  908  ;  aire,  770,  775,  1041  ;  air(e),  768  f  (:  faire 
pred.  adj.  sg.}  ;  ayre,  816  ;  ayr^,  811,  813,  817  ;  ayr(e),  834 
f  (:  faire  pred.  adj.  sg.}  ;  eyre,  927  ;  eyr^,  765,  954.  — Art, 
1095  ;  art(e),  335  f,  627  f,  1882  f  (all :  parte  w.)  ;  arte,  1276. 

—  Citezyn,  930  f. —  Corseynt,  117. —  delyte,  1831  ;  delyt(e), 

309  f  (:  profite  n.}.  — desert,  488.  — dispite,   1716  ;  dispite, 
96,     1668.  —  ducat,     1348.  —  duk^,     388.  —  effecte,     5.  - 
engyn^,    528    (skill},    1934   (machine}. — fool,    958. — frot, 
2017. — ffugityfe,     146. — gebet,     106. — guerdon,     619. — 
hostel(e),  1022  f  (:  wele<za^.). —  metal,  1422,  1446. —  ost(e), 
1 86  f  (:  goste  «.).  — part,  344  ;  part(e),  366  f,  628  f,  1881  f 
(all :  arte  n.}.  — point,  917,  2018.  — prison,  26.  — profit(e), 

310  f  (:  delyte  «.). — renoun,  1736,   1558  f,   1709^   18171", 
renovn(e),  1850  f  (:  tovnew.)  ;  renoun,  1406. —  reson,  708  ; 
reason,  753  f;    reasoun,   761   f. — roundell,   791;    roundel, 
798. — ryban,    1318. — seson,   341  f. — skorn<?,  95. — soun, 
824,  762  f,  832  f,  847  f,  1025  f,  1239  f,  1574  f,  1642  f,  1724  f, 
1802  f ;  sovne,  720,  773,  1805  ;  sovn(e),  742  f  (:  doun  adv.}, 
783  f(:  multiplicaciovne  n. }  ;  sovn<?,   765,   770,    1033,  1950. 

—  spirite,  190.  — stryf(e),  1964  f  (:  lyfe  n.}.  — toure,  536  ; 
tour(e),  n85f  (:  burew.).  —  tuell(e),  i649f  (:  welle^^.). 

—  vessel,  2130.  — wiket,  477. 

Note.  —  In  none  of  the  foregoing  words  is  -e  sounded,  though 
some  of  them  have  this  ending  regularly  (aire,  arte,  parte, 
etc. )  and  others  show  no  other  form  (delyte,  dispite,  profite, 
etc.).  Within  the  verse  there  is  always  apocope  or  elision,  and 
when  final  the  rhyme-word  shows  the  -e  illegitimate. 

35.  The  genitive  singular  of  nouns,  whether  of  Germanic  or 
Romance  origin,  ends  in  H.  F.  for  the  most  part  in  -es 
(variants  -is,  -ys},  irrespective  of  original  gender  and  declen- 
sion. 

Examples  are  :  — 

I.  domes,  1284.  —  Egles  (F  B  lack  the  line},  507.  —  folkes,  see 
§44.  — goddis,  1384,  1799;  goddes,  1711,  1758  ;  goddys, 
1697. —  houses,  I959-  — kynges,  391.  — loues,  645,  675, 


32 

1489. — mannes,  556. — sonnes,  941. — soules,  408. — wor[l]des 

1867. — yates,  1302. 

Note  i.  — For  alle  skynnes  (alles  kynnes),  cf.  1530;  no  skynnes 

(nones  kynnes),  1794. 

Note  2.  — In  the  phrase  lives  body  (1063),  Skeat  (Minor  Poems, 
Glossary}  regards  lives  as  an  adverb.  Bright  (M.L.N.,  1889, 
col.  363)  explains  the  phrase  as  "  a  living  person's  body'*,  "  a 
living  man."  Kittredge's  interpretation  (Language  of  Chaucer's 
Troilus,  \  35,  I,  n. )  that  lives  means  "of  life"  (cf.  Byron's 
"  a  thing  of  life  "  ;  "  As  thou  art  a  man  of  life,"  Little  Mus- 
grave  and  Lady  Barnard,  A,  st.  10,  Child,  Ballads,  II,  244)  is, 
however,  more  satisfactory  as  explaining  also  the  parallel  expres- 
sions lyues  creature,  lyues  man,  found  elsewhere  in  Chaucer. 
Thus  lives  body  =  body  of  life  =  living  body  =  living  man. 

II.     Fames,  fames,  786,  852,  882,  1027,  1357,  1603,   1857.  - 
Philosophres,   758. — tigres,    1459. — trumpes,    1642,    1646, 
1685. 

36.  One  word  makes  a  genitive  without  change  of  form  : 

Fader  carte,  943  ;  but  C  T  here  show  -s. 

Note.  — In  heuen  kynge  (1084),  heuen  is  probably  in  composition 
and  not  a  real  genitive  (cf.  A.S.  heofon-cyning).  Observe 
further  heuens  region  (988),  heuens  sygnes  (998).  In  both  of 
these  examples  B  has  heuenys.  —  In  the  phrase  wounde  smerte 
(374),  Skeat  (Minor  Poems,  Glossary}  sets  smerte  down  as  a 
noun,  which  would  of  course  make  wounde  genitive.  But 
smerte  seems  rather  an  adjective  here,  as  also  in  the  parallel 
expression  sorwes  smerte  (316).  (Cf.  Kittredge,  \  67,  «.). 

37.  Genitives  of  proper  names. 

I.  Of  names  in  -s  but  three  examples  have  been  noted  in  the 
genitive.     Two  of  these  have  the  genitive  like  the  nomina- 
tive, —  Eaycedis  chiron,  1206  ;  Venus  clerk,  1487  ;  the  third 
forms  genitive  in  -es,  —  Martes  metal,  1446. 

II.  Other  genitives. 

Arionis  harp,  1005.  —  AthalantesDoughtres,  1007. —  Auffrikes 
Region,  431. — Iupiter[e]s  wife,  199. — Romes  myghty 
werkes,  1504. 

38.  The  plural  of  nouns,  of  whatever  origin,  ends  regularly 
in  -es  (-ys,  -is).     (Cf.  Child,  §  22  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  202,   206, 
210,  213,  225). 

I.  acordes,  695  f. — Actes,  347.  —  apes,  1806  f. — aqueyn- 
taunces,  694  f. —  armes,  144,  1331,  1337,  1411. —  ascendentes, 


33 

1268  f. — auentures,  47  f,  1631  f. — rabewyures  (/.  babe- 
wynnes),  1189. — berdys,  689. — batayles,  454;  batayles, 
1441  f.  —  beres,  1589.  —  bestes,  goof,  932,  965  f,  1383,  1390, 
1968  f;  bestis,  1226. — bildynges,  1966  f. — biles,  868  f. — 
bokes,  385  ;  bookys,  622. — boystes,  2129. — bromes,  1226  f. 

—  brynkes,   803. — cages,   1938. — causes,   13;  causis,   19  f 
(:  caus<?is). — charmeresses,  1261  f. — chidynges,  1028  f . — 
chirkynges,   1943  f. — clerkes,   1265,   1503  f;  clerkys,  53  f, 
760.  — clothes,  1319.  — cloudes,  966.  —  compasses,  1302.  — 
compassinges,    1188   f.  -    cordes    (F  B    acordes],    696    f . — 
cornes,  698. —  corovnes,  1317. — creatures,  1632  f. —  Daunces, 
1235.— discordes  (C  T1  tfts&nftr)',  685.  —  dores,  480,   1420, 
1952  ;  dor[e]s,  650  f  (:  neygh[e]bor[e]s). — dowves,   137. 

—  dremes,    35. — eles,    2154   f. -- ententes,    1267   f.  —  eres, 
879,    J389   f« — eschaunges,    697   f. — fames,    1139,    H54f, 
1233,    1292. — feldes,    897.  —  festes,    1222. — figures,    48  f, 
126  f;  figures,  858.  —  flakes,  1192. —  florisshinges,  1301  f. — 
forestes  899  f.  —  foules,   1382.  —  frenges,   1318  f.  — further- 
ynges,    636   f.  — gendres,    18. — gestes    (resgestae),  1434, 
1515  f,    1518,    1737  f.  —  goddess(e),    172;    goddes,    1002; 
goddys,  460.  —  graunges,  698  f.  —  Grekes,   1479.  —  greses, 
I353-  —  greyn(d)es,  691.— gromes,  1225  f.— gyges,  1942.— 
habitacles,    1194   f. — hattes,    1940. — hayles,   967.  —  heles 
2153  f.  —  herau(l)des,   1321  f.  —  heres,   1390  f.  —  hilles  (or 
hilles),  898. — holes,   1949,   2110. — hondes,    299,   692  f. — 
Tangles,    1960  f. — lapes,    1805   f. — ioynynges,    1187  f. — 
kervynges,    1302   f.  —  knyghtis,    455   f. — kyndes,     204   f, 
968  f. — kynges,   1316  f. — laudes,   1322  f. — lestes,   1738  f. 

-leues,  1946.  — leysinges,  676  f  ;  lesenges,  2123  f.  — loses, 
1688  f. — losynges,  1317  f.  —  loues,  677,  678,  679,  697; 
loues  (or  loues),  86.  — manages,  1961  f — meracles,  12  f.— 
mervayles,  1442  f.  —  mountaynes,  898  f.  —  mynstralles, 
1197  f.  —  mystes,  966. —names,  1137,  1142,  1153  f,  1355, 
1505.  —  nayles,  542. — nestes,  1516  f. — neygh[e]bor[e]s, 
649  f  (:  dor[e]s).  — novchis,  i35of  (:  povch^is).  — oracles, 
ii  f.  —  oures,  689  f.  —  peces,  1187.  —  Phitonesses,  1261.  — 
pilgrimes,  2122  f. — pipes,  1224. — places,  1014.  —  playnes, 
897  f.  —  portreytures,  125  f.  —  preysynges,  635  f.  —  purse- 
vantes,  1321.  —  pynacles,  124  f,  1189  f,  1193  f. — reken- 
ynges,  653  f.  —  renoveilaunces,  693  f.  — reynes  (rein},  951. 

—  reynes    (rain],    967.  —  roches,    JO35. — roses,    1687  f. — 
ryghtis,  456  f.  —  ryver[e]s,  901.  —  sheves,  2140.  —  shippes, 
X95>  233»  365>  903,  J036.  —  shrippes,  2123.  — Sisoures,  690  f, 
—  skilles,  750,  867  f. — sondes,  691  f. — sones,  75  f  (: 


34 

is).  —  songes,  622,  1396.  —  Sorceresses,  1262.  —  sprynges, 
1235  f,  1984  f. —  stages,  122  f. —  sterlynges,  1315  f. —  sterres, 
993,  1254,  1376. —  stones,  1351. —  strondes,  148. —  strynges, 
777.  —  syght [es] ,  2010.  —  sygnes,  (KB  sygnes) ,  998.  —  tab- 
ernacles, 123  f,  1190  f.  —  tales,  1198  f. — techches,  1778  f.— 
tempestes,  966  f,  1967  f.  —  termes,  857. — theves,  1779.— 
thynges,  643  f,  654  f,  674,  743,  1236  f,  1889,  1893  f,  2057  ; 
thinges,  2009  f. — tonges,  1390. — tovnes,  902.  —  twigges, 
1936;  twy(n)ges,  1941  f.  —  tydynges,  6441",  675  f,  1027  f, 
1894  f,  1907  f  (:  brynges  2  sg.  pr.  ind.),  1957  f,  1983  f, 
2010  f,  2124  f;  tydynges  (or  tydynges),  1888;  tydynges. 
J955>  2I43  J  tydyngis,  1886.  —  tymes,  19,  1216,  2121  f,  2126, 

—  viages,    1962   f.  —  walles,    1288,    1398. — werkes,    54  f, 
1504  f,   1610,   1616,    1696,   1707    (FB   werkes}  ;    werkes   (or 
werkes),   1701;  werkes,   1666,   1720. — wisprynges,   1958  f. 

—  wordes,  191,  311,  376,  572.  — wrecches  (/.  wicches),  1262. 

—  wrechches,    1777   f. — wyndes,    203  f,   246,   967  f,    1587, 
*i967. — wynges,     922,     1392. — wynnynges,     1965    f . - 
ymages,  121  f,  1269  ;  ymages,  472. 

II.  dayes,  695.  — weyes,  585,  1122.  — Also  reyes  (FB  reus), 
1236.  —  valey[e]s,  899. 

III.  (a)  clawes,  545,   554;  clowes,  1785  f. — sawes,   676.- 
shrewes,    1830,   1833  f,    1852  f. — snowes,    967,    1192   f . - 
thewes,   1834  f,   1851  f. — wyndowes,  1191.  —  (b)  morwes, 
4.  — sorwes,  316,  467.  — Also  lowes,  1786  f.  — mowes,  1806. 

-pawes,  541. 

IV.  Angles,    1959   f.  —  Doughtres,     1007. — evenes,    4   f .  - 
fetheres,  974,  1382  ;  fethres  (FB  lack  the  line},  507  ;  Fethres, 
530.  —  lettres,  1141,  1144. — nobles,  1315. — shuldres,  1410, 
1435,  1462,  1500  — swevenes,  3  f.  — wondres,  1996,  2118. 

V.  lyes  (lies},  1477  f,  2129  f.  — lyes  (lees},  2130  f.  — mason- 
eries,  1303  f. — menstralcies,   1217  f. — nouelries,  686  f .  - 
pies,  703  f.  —  Poetries,  1478  f.  — shalmyes,  1218  f.  — spies, 
704  f.  —  ymageryes  (F  lacks  the  line},    1304  f.  —  With  syni- 
zesis  ymageries,  1190. 

VI.  (a}  glees,   1209  f,   1252  f  (both:  sees  n.  pi.). — knees, 
1534,    1772;    but  knes,    1659,   1705. — sees,   1210  f,   1251  f 
(both  :  glees  n.  pi.). — trees,   752,    1516,    902   f   (:    Citee's 
n.  pl.)t  1946  f  (:  entrees  n.  pi.}. —  (b)  Citee's,  901  f  (:  trees 
n.  pi.).  — entrees,  1945  f  (:  trees  n.  pi.). 

§  39.     Exceptions  to  §  38.     The  following  words  ending  in  a 
consonant  or  an  accented  -e  sometimes  or  always  make  their 


35 

plural  in  -s  (-#),  -est  or  -is.     (Cf.  Child,  §  22  ;  ten  Brink, 
§  226). 

I.  Words  in  -nt. 
Instrumentes,  696.  —  servantes,  625. 

II.  Words  in  -ton,  -ioun. 

Avisions,  40  f;  avisions,  48. — clarions,  1597  ;  Clarioun[s], 
1594.  — complexions,  21  f.  — condiciouns,  1530  f.  — dissym- 
ulacions,  688  f. — exorsisacions,  1263  f. — fumi(y)gacions, 
1264  f. — impressions,  39  f. — reflexions,  22  f. — regiouns, 
1529  f ;  Regions,  1970  f.  — reparacions,  688  f.  — transniuta- 
cions,  1969  f. 

III.  Words  in  -r. 

colours,  859.  — currours,  2128.  — dossers,  1940  f.  — gestiours, 
1198. — harpers,  1207,  1209. — lugelours,  1259  f. — louers, 
37.  —  messangers,  2128  f.  —  murmures,  686.  —  panyers, 
J939  f- — Pardoners,  2127  f. — pipers,  1234. — tregetours, 
1260  f.  —  werres,  1961. 

Note.  —  Of  the  foregoing  examples  B  shows  -ys  in  686,  859,  1198, 
1259,  1260,  1940,  2128.  The  vowel,  however,  is  manifestly 
unsounded  except  in  859,  where  we  may  well  read  cdlourys  for 
colours. 

IV.  Words  in  -en. 
magiciens,  1260. — troyens,  156. 

V.  Miscellaneous  words  with  consonantal  ending. 

corbetz   (PT  coibettes,    C  corbettis),    1304. — estates,    1970.- 
restes,  ^1962.  —  rovnynges  (C  Rownyng)^   1960.  —  signals, 
459  f.  --spiritis  (CT   spirltis},   41.— welles,   *I984.  —  Cf. 
also,  hilles,  tydynges,  werkes,  §  38,  above. 

VI.  dytees  (dissyl.),  622  f  (:  lyt<?  is).     In  this  verse  FB  have 
dytees  bookys,  but  the  rhyme-word  shows  clearly  that  bookys 
dytees  is  the  proper  order.  — For  kriZ'es,  knes,  see  §  38,  VI,  a, 
above. 

40.  Plurals  of  the  ^-declension  which  preserve  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  ending  (-an)  in  the  form  -en  are  : 

been  (A.S. //.  beon,  Ps.  bian),  1522. 

eyen  (A.S.  pi.  eagan,  L.  se^en,  e^en,  P.Pla.  e}en,  ei3en,  P.Plb. 
eyghen,  eyghes,  P.P1C.  eyen),  459  1379,  1408;  yen,  1381, 
2152  (B  correctly  nose  and  yen  ;  F  noyse  an  highen). 

foon  (A.S.//.  gefan)  not  found  ;    but  foos,    1668  f  (:  loos  n.). 

toon  (A.S.  pi.  tan),  2028  f  (:  anoon  adv.),  — so  C  ;  T 
F  B  lack  the  verse. 


36 

41.  Plurals  in   -en  by  imitation    (Child,    §    24  ;    ten  Brink, 
§§  215,  217). 

sustren  (A.S.//.  sweoster,  I,,  sustren,  sostres,  P.P1C.  sustren, 

sustres,  susteres),  1401. 
For  Dougktres,  see  §  38. 

42.  Plurals  with  umlaut  (Child,  §  26  ;  ten  Brink,  §  214). 
fete  (A.S.  fet),  568,  606,   1374,   1391  ;  fet(e),   1603  f  (:  hete 

3    SS-  pt-    ind.)  ;    and  with  final  -e   sounded  fete,    1050   f 

(:  strete  n.}. 

men  (A.S.  menn),  330,  338,  525,  590,  609,  1326,  1761,  etc.,  etc. 
wymmen   (A.S.   wifmenn,   Pet.    Chron.   wimmen),   335,   1741, 

1760  ;  wommen,  1747. 

43.  In  the  following  words  plurals  occur  identical  in  form 
with  the  singular. 

folke   (A.S.   folc,   n.,  pi.   folc).      No  accurate  distinction   for 
singular  and  plural  is  possible  for  this  word.     In  the  follow- 
ing examples  the  verb  is  plural,  —  645,   1060,   1338,   1544, 
1608,  1661,  1775,  1832,  1854,  1862,  1899.     I*1  one  case  only 
is  the  verb  singular,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  passage 
to  the  plural  in  the  succeeding  verse  : 
That  alle  the  folke  that  jyj  a  lyve 
Ne  han  the  kunnynge   to   discryve,   2055-6. 
Another  certain  singular  is  seen  in  a  folke,  73.     The  limiting 
word  indicates  a  singular  in  this  folke,  1544,  1775,  1790,  1862, 
though  in  three  of  the  four  examples  a  plural  verb  follows. 
For  other  examples  of  folke  in  various  constructions,  cf.  42, 
237,   638,    1358,    1849,    1968,    2035,    2138,   etc.     Final  -e  is 
regularly  written  in  our  MS.,  and  is  in  one  case  sounded  : 

Of  loues  folke  moo  tydynges,  675. 

Forms  in  -es,   -ys,   also  occur  (1154,   1426,   1828),  but  the 
vowel  is  uniformly  silent. 

In  the  genitive  folkes  {folkys}    is  the  regular  form,  and 
the  vowel  is  pronounced  ;  cf.  21,  636,  1137,  1322,  1720. 

foote  (A.S.  fot,  m.,pl.  fet),  XX'.  foote  thykke,  1335. 

hors  (A.S.  hors,  n.,  pi.  hors),  944,  952. 

hose  (A.S.  hosa,  m.,pl.  hosan),  1840. 

myk  (A.S.  mil,/.,//,  mila,  mile),  sixty  myk,  1979  ;  but  myles 
two,  116. 

Swyne  (A.S.  swin,  n.,  pi.  swin),  1777. 

thinge,    thing    (A.S.    ]nng,    n.,    pi.    Jnng).      The    following 
examples  are  pretty  certainly  plural  : 
Other  thinge  to  tellen  yowe,  1418  ; 


37 

As  wel  of  loue  as  other  thyng(e),  1739  f  (:  rynge  n.}  ; 
In  alle  thing  ryght  as  it  is,  1837. 

But  the  regular  plural  is  thing es  ;  see  §  38.  In  the  following 
verse  -s  should  doubtless  be  supplied,  though  it  is  nowhere 
written  : 

Some  newe  thinge  y  not  what,  1887. 

wyse  (A.S.  wise,/".,//,  wisan)  must  certainly  be  plural  in  the 
following  verses  : 

But  this  may  be  in  many  wyse 

Of  which  I  wil  the  two  deuyse,  771-2  ; 

But  for  to  prove  in  alle  wyse,  1347. 

§  44.     The  genitive  plural  does  not  differ  in  form  from  the  geni- 
tive singular. 

folkes,  see  §  43.  — goddys  botiller,  592.  — grekes  oste,  186.  — 
lewes  gestes,  1434.  —  partriches  wynges,  1392. — rokes 
nestes,  1516.  — sterres  names,  997.  — stormes  bete,  1150. 

§  45.     The   dative    plural    (Anglo-Saxon   -um)    has    not    been 
observed  in  H.F. 


ADJECTIVES. 

46.  Adjectives  ending  in  Anglo-Saxon  in  a  short  vowel  (in 
the  indefinite  use)  end  in  -e  in  H,  F.  (Cf.  Child,  §  29  ;  ten 
Brink,  §  230). 

Most  of  these  are  either /0-stems  or  /-stems  that  have  gone 
over  entirely  to  the /^-declension  :  blythe,  dere,  grene,  kynde, 
lythe,  newe,  shene,  stille,  swete,  thikke,  trewe.  So  also 
vnmerie.  Here  belongs  vnsofte.  For  allone,  cf.  §  47. 

blythe  (A.S.  bli«e,  L.O.  bli«e),  be  thou  euer  blythe,  1860  f 
( :  swithe  adv. ) . 

dere  (A.S.  deore,  W.S.  diere,  dyre,  L.  deore,  dure,  O.  deore, 
dere).  The  only  examples  are  in  the  definite  use  :  my  lady 
dere,  213  f  (:  chere  rc.)  ;  my  dere  hert[e],  326  ;  lady  dere, 
1730  f  (:  manere  n. )  ;  lady  leefe  and  dere,  1827  f  ( :  here  inf. ). 

grene  (A.S.  grene,  groene,  I,,  grene),  grene  corne,  1224. 

kynde  (A.S.  cynde,  but  usually  gecynde),  As  kynde  thinge  of 
Fames  is,  1292  ;  she  ys  vnkynde,  284  f  (:  fynde  in/.}.  Def- 
inite use  :  hys  kynde  place,  834,  836. 


38 

lythe  (A.S.  li«e,  I,,  liite,  O.  life),  To  make  lyihe  of  that  was 
harde,  118.  In  this  verse  P  omits  of;  CT  omit  of  and  insert 
erst  after  that.  The  reading  of  P  seems  more  likely  correct, 
and  this  would  give  us  lythe. 

newe  (A.S.  neowe,  niowe,  W.S.  niewe,  niwe,  L,.  neawe,  neouwe, 
niwe,  O.  neowe,  newe,  P. PI.  newe,  nywe),  That  euery  yere 
wolde  haue  a  newe,  302  f  ( :  trewe  adj. )  ;  Alle  new<?  of  gold 
another  sonne,  506.  The  last  line  is  seen  only  in  C  T. 

shene  (A.S.  scene,  scyne,  sceone,  I,,  sceone,  scone,  L,b.  scene, 
O.  shene,  scone).  Occurs  only  in  the  vocative  expression 
lady  shene,  1536  f  (:  quene  #.). 

stille  (A.S.  stille,  L.  stille,  O.  stille,  still),  he  stode  as  stille  as 
stoon,  1605  ;  That  neuer  mo  stil  hyt  stent[e] ,  *i926.  In  the 
last  example  we  should  probably  read  hyt  stille  ;  so  Willert 
on  the  basis  of  it  sty  I  in  T. 

swete  (A.S.  swete,  swcete,  O.  swet),  floode  of  helle  vnswete, 
72  f  (:  lete/r.  n.).  Definite  use  :  my  swete  hert,  315. 

thikke  (A.S.  )>icce,  L,.  thicke),  Or  elles  was  the  aire  so  thikke, 
908  f  (:  prikke  n.~)  ;  a  bible  XXli.  foote  thykk^,  1335. 

trewe  (A.S.  treowe,  W.S.  triewe,  try  we,  I,,  treowe,  O.  trowwe), 
is  euery  man  thus  trewe,  301  f  (:  a  newe  adj.  as  subs.). 

vnmerie  (A.S.  myrige,  merge).  Only  in  the  definite  use  : 
this  god  vnmerie,  74  f  (:  Cymerie/r.  n.). 

Vn-softe  (A.S.  softe  adv.,  but  also  used  as  adj.  instead  of  sefte, 
soefte  (cf.  Sievers,  §  299,  n.  i,  and  Sweet,  2081).  L.  softe, 
O.  soffte).  In  the  definite  use  only  :  the  cruelle  lyfe 
Vn-softe,  36  f  ( :  ofte  adj.  post.  pi. ) . 

Note.  — For  the  adj.  jree  (A.S.  freo),  cf.  Anchyses  the  free,  422  f 
(:  seez«/). 

47.  In    allone,    -e    goes    back    to    the    Anglo-Saxon    weak 
("definite")  ending  -a. 

allone  (A.S.  eall  ana,  L,.  al  ane,  O.  all  ane),  And  eke  allone 
(plur.)  be  hem  selue,  2125  ;  Deserte  allone  (sing.)  \\  ryghte 
in  the  se,  416. 

48.  Lyte,  muche  belong  in  a  category  by  themselves.    On  their 
relations   to   A.S.    lyt,    lytel,    micel,    mycel,    see   especially 
Bright ,  A  merican  Journal  of  Philology ,  IX ,219. 

lyte  (A.S.  lyt,  adv.,  lytel,  adj.)  is  said  by  ten  Brink,  §  231,  to 
be  "imSing.  wohl  nur  substantivisch  gebraucht,"  but  this 
is  contradicted  by  three  places  in  H.F.  :  thyn  Abstinence ys 
lyte,  660  f  (:  heremyte  ».),  she  was  so  lyte,  1369  f  (:  cubite 
n. ),  hyt  nas  not  lyte,  1978  f  ( :  write  i  sg.  pr.  ind.).  Cf. ,  also, 


39 

Wol  do  than  ese  al  be  hyt  lyte,  2020  f  (:  merite  w.),  where  the 
word  may  be  held  a  substantive.  For  the  substantive  use  of 
lyte,  see  621,  1349  (KB  litel,  monosyl.},  and  perhaps  2020. 
For  lyte,  adv.,  see  778  f  (  smyte  3  pi.  pr.  ind.~). 

For  lytel,  see  1093,  1225  ;  litel,  791  ;  litil,  1476  ;  lytel,  adv., 


Note.  —  Lines  621-2  run  as  follows  : 

Al-though  that  in  thy  hede  ful  lytel  is 
To  make  songes  dytees  bookys. 

All  authorities  show  lytel  (in  varied  spelling).  CT,  however, 
shift  the  position  of  dytees,  bookys.  Manifestly  the  proper 
reading  is  : 

Al-though  that  in  thy  hede  ful  lyte  is 
To  make  songes  bookys  dytees. 

moche  (A.S.  micel,  L.W.S.  mycel),  ful  moche  prees,  1358; 
a[s]  moche  goode,  1748  ;  ful  moche  pyne,  147;  moch  com- 
pleynt,  924;  moche  ys  thy  myght,  971.  —  a  mochil  (mon- 
osyl.  ;  P  C  T  grete}  myschaunce,  957  ;  mochel  wele,  1138  ; 
to  mochil  prees,  1359.  For  adverbial  use,  see  ouer  mech^,  38  ; 
moche  or  lyte,  778  ;  as  moch<?  as,  1749. 

§  49.  Several  adjectives  which  in  Anglo-Saxon  end  in  a  conso- 
nant, sometimes  or  always  take  -e  in  H.  F.  (Cf.  Child,  §  30  ; 
ten  Brink,  §  231). 

Some  of  the  -e's  in  the  following  list  are  perhaps  to  be 
explained  on  grammatical  grounds.  Of  petrified  vocatives 
(cf.  ten  Brink,  §  235,  Anm.,  but  also  Zupitza,  Deutsche  Lit- 
ter atur-Zeitung,  1885,  coll.  610,  613,  and  Freudenberger,  pp. 
37-40)  there  is  one  example  :  faire  Venus.  Observe  the 
expressions  longe  tyme,  longe  while,  olde  tyme,  in  which,  says 
Manly  {Language  of  the  Legend  of  Good  Women,  §  49), 
'  '  one  is  tempted  to  see  the  remains  of  old  dative  construc- 
tions in  which  the  final  vowel  has  been  preserved  by  the 
cadence  of  the  phrase.  '  ' 

[bare]  (A.S.  bser,  IA  bare,  IA  bar,  P.Plbc.  bare,  P.P1C.  bar), 
only  in  barefote  (A.S.  bserfot,  IA  bar-fot,  IA  bareuot),  That 
dreme  he  barefote  dreme  he  shod,  98. 

[brode]  (A.S.  brad,  I,,  brsed,  brad,  brod,  O.  brad,  P.  PI.  brod), 
only  in  brod<?  as  a  couercle,  792. 

faire  (A.S.  faeger,  L,.  fseir,  faeire,  faei3er,  faire,  O.  fas^err, 
P.  PI.  fayre),  And  faire  Venus  also,  618.  —  fair(e),  767  f, 
833  f  (both  :  aire  n.)  ;  feire,  1028  ;  far^,  1305. 

[false]  (late  A.S.  fals,  from  O.F.  or  Latin,  P.P1.  fals),  no 
example.  —  fals,  before  consonant  \  414  ;  before  vowels,  266,  285, 


4o 

397>  4°5>  1029,  2108  ;  in  rhyme,  393  f  (:  hals  n.),  2072  f 
(:  als  adv.). 

[fouk]  (A.S.  ful,  O.  ful),  only  in  fouL?  or  faire,  766,  833. 

goode  (A.S.  god,  L,.O.  god),  Lady  graunte  vs  good[e]  fame, 
1609  (but  PCT  graunte  vs  now)  ;  That  we  mowe  han  as 
good[e]  fame,  1735  (but  PCT  as  good  a)  ;  Of  good  [e]  folke 
and  gunne  crie,  1608  (but  we  must  certainly  take  this  as 
plural). — goode,  671,  ^872;  good<?,  604;  good,  264,  1545, 
1555.  1558,  1560,  1617,  1621,  1799,  1815,  1817,  1832,  1854. 

grete  (A.S.  great,  O.  graet),  I  herde  a  grete  noyse  with  alle, 
2147.  But  it  may  be  that  the  verse  should  read  —  I  herde  a 
grete  noyse  with  alle.  — grete,  24,  26,  806,  856,  1528,  1850, 
1973  ;  g^te,  553>  63°>  *927>  2I5$  ;  gret,  1372,  1424,  ^1425, 
1736,  1852. 

harde  (A.S.  heard,  It.  heard,  herd,  O.  harrd),  This  Bolus  with 
harde  grace,  1586. — harde,  86 1  ;  hard(e),  n8f  (:  leonarde 
pr.  n.)  ;  hard,  861. 

hye  (A.S.  heah,  M.  heh,  L.  haeh,  hsel^e,  O.  heh),  That  neuer 
herd  I  thing  so  hye  (adv.  ?),  1020  f  (:  crye  inf.)  ;  on  a  place 
hye,  1 133  f  ( :  glorifye  inf. )  ;  so  hygh  a  roche,  1 1 16. —  on  hy^, 
1360  ;  on  high(e),  1430  f  (:  sighe  3  sg.  pt.  ind.)  ;  on  high, 
1649. 

[lyche]  (A.S.  gelic,  adj.,  also  gelica,  n.,  L.  iliche,  ilike,  O. 
like),  lych<?evene,  10. — lyke,  1033,  1039,  1076  ;  lyk^,  1124. 

longe  (A.S.  lang,  long,  L.  long,  O.  lang),  Yf  hit  so  longe  tyme 
dure,  303  ;  And  oft  I  mused  longe  while,  1287  ;  That  bore 
hath  vp  longe  while,  1484.  — longe,  251,  252,  381,  446,  1354. 

[lovde]  (A.S.  hlud),  only  in  lovd<?  (lowd*),  767,  1958. 

olde  (A.S.  eald,  aid,  I/,  seld,  aid,  aide,  olde,  V.  hold,  holde,  O. 
aid),  Of  oldetyme(s),  1155.— olde  (/.  golde)  werke,  127  ; 
old(e),  995  f,  2064  f  (both  :  tolde pp.). 

[swifte]  (A.S.  swift,  O.  swift),  no  example.  — swifte,  350. 

[woode]  (A.S.  wod),  no  example.  —  as  thou  were  wod(e), 
202  f  (:  bloode  n.). 

Note  i.  — The  following  list  shows  monosyllabic  adjectives  ending 
in  Anglo-Saxon  in  a  consonant  which  take  no  -e  in  H.  F.  It 
will  be  noted  that  -e  is  quite  commonly  written,  but  it  is  mute 
always. 

blak,  1647  ;  blak(e),  1671  f  (:  take  2  sg.  imp.).  — blynd(e),  1570  f 
(:  wynde  n. ) ;  blende,  681. — broun(e),  139  f  (:  dovne  adv. ) . 
—  coldtf,  1163. — crips,  1386  f. — ded(e),  1876  f  (:  hede  «.). — 
domb^,  656.  — frerre,  647.  —ful,  31,  1027,  1514,  1557,  1687,  1805, 
1834,  1942,  1943,2122.  —  hool,  1270. — leef,  1999. — lous^,  1286. 


—  lyght,  746,   1096.  —  red(e),   135  f  (:  hede  «.),  i64yf(:lede 
n. ). — ryght,    1614. — sad,    2089. — smal<?,    487. — soothe,    502, 
2072;  soth(e),  2051  f  (:  dothe  j  sg.  pr.  ind.}]  sooth,  987. — 
strong(e),   1457  f  (:  endlonge  adv.}.  — syk(e),  1270  (:  magike 
«.)•— war,  496,  1407,  1989.  —white,  135,  938. —worth*,  727. 

Note  2.  —  For  dissyllables  in  the  indefinite  use,  see  the  following  : 

besye,   1472. — blissfull,  518. — blody,    1239. — bret  ful,    2123. — 

burned,    1387. — drery,   179. — englyssh,  1470. — golden,  1723. 

—  grenyssh,  1647.  —  hevy,  738,   1440,  1473.  —  knowen,  1736.— 
lewed,    1096  f ;  lewde   (FB  corrupt],   866. — liltyng,   1223. — 
lyghted,    769.  —  naked,     133.  —  rechcheles,    397.  —  sely,    513. 

—  sory,  1790.  —  shrewde,  275,  1619.  — stiryng,  478.  — swartisshe 
(FB   swart [<?]),    J647- — tynned,     1482.  —  vncouthe,    1279.— 
wery,    115. — woful,   214. — wonder,   1082. — wonderful,   62. — 
worthy,  708,  1669.  —  yren,  1457. — ywel,  1786. 

50.  The  following  adjectives  of  Germanic  origin  also  show  an 
-e  in  H.F. 

bad[de]  (A.S.  bseddel  ?),  Though  they  goon  in  ful  bad[de] 
lese,  1768.  Such  is  the  reading  of  Sk.  and  Wi.,  though  T 
alone  shows  -e.  We  have  a  very  good  verse  without  -e. 

wikke  (cf.  M.E.  wicche,  A.S.  wicc(e)a  'wizard/  wicce 
'  witch '),  that  nas  no  thinge  wikke,  1346  f  (:  thikke  adj.}. 
—  wikkyd,  1620. 

51.  Final  unaccented  -e  in  adjectives  of  Romance  origin  is 
preserved  in  H.F.  (cf.  Child,  §  19  ;  ten  Brink,  §  239). 

I.  digne  (O.F.  digne),  1426. — huge  (O.K.  ahuge),  1607.- 
luste  (O.K.  juste),   719.  —  large   (O.F.   large),   482,    1238, 
1412,  1440  f  (:  charge  n.)  ;  at  hys  large,  745  f  (:  charge  «.). 
But,   That  hath  a  ful  large  whele  to  turne,    1450.     In  this 
verse,  however,  P  C  T  have  large  by  omitting  a.   Definite  use, 
926. — nyce   (O.F.    nice),   276    f   (:   vice  n.)  ;  nys<?,   920; 
definite  use,  nyce,  287. — queyntfe]  (O.F.  cointe).     Of  the 
three  instances  of  the  use  of  this  adjective,  final  -e  is  written 
but  once  —  T  228.     The  lines  : 

And  queynt[e]  maner  of  figures,  126  ; 

Goynge  in  a  queynt  array,  228  ; 

This  queynt  [e]  hous  about  [e]  went[e],  1925. 
Final  -e  is  not  absolutely  required,  but  it  should  doubtless  be 
supplied. 

II.  Words  in  -ble. 

agreable,  1097  f. — double,  285. — fauorable,  1479  f. — feble, 
1132.  —  impossible,  702;  impossib(il)le,  1334  f. — noble, 


42 

1416  ;  definite  use,  469,  1409,  1535. 

Note.  —  French  -&  is  of  course  preserved,  —  pryuee,   767;    and 
prevy,  285. 

52.     Some  Romance  adjectives  take  an  -e  in  H.F.  that  have 
none  in  Old  French. 


clere  (O.K.  cler),  And  hyt  [is]  cleped  clere  laude,  1575  ; 

983  ;  ^/cler(e),  1482  f  (:  pilere  n.). 
comune  (O.K.  comun),  only  in  in  comune,  1548  f  (:  fortune  n.~). 
devyne  (O.K.  divin),  vocative,  devyne  vertu,  noi. 
femynyne  (O.F.  feminin),  A  ferny  nyne  creature,  1365. 
fyne  (O.F.   fin).     Final  -e  is   regularly   written,   but   it   can 

hardly  be  sounded  in  any  case:     Arionis  harp[e]  fyn(e), 

1005  f  (delphyne  pr.  n.}  ;  yrenfyn(e),  1431  f  (:  saturnyne 

post.  adj.  sg.}  ;  fyn*,  1348. 
pure  (O.F.  pur),  of  purekynde,  824  ;  definite  use,  280  (T  alone 

shows  the  line. 

Note.  —  For  examples  of  the  singular  number  of  Romance  adjec- 
tives in  the  indefinite  use,  see  the  following  : 

certeyn(e),  502  f  (:  seyne^.)  ;  certeyn,  I59S.  —  confuse,  1517.  — 
conseruatyf,  847.  —  cruelly  1463.  —  curious(e),  29  f  (:  melan- 
colyouse  pred.  adj.  sg.}.  —  desert?,  417.  —  devys,  917  f.  —  dises- 
perat,  2015.  —  dyuers,  1574;  dyvers,  1976.  —  encombrouse,  862. 

—  ententyf,    1120.  —  eryd,    485.  —  famouse,    1338.  —  imperiall, 
1361   f.  —  malicious^,   93.  —  melancolyous(e),  30  f  (:curiouse 
pred.  adj.  sg.}.  —  naturell,  28;  naturel,  1266  f.  —  noyouse,  574. 

—  obedient,  2022  f.  —  overt(e),  718  f  (:  aperte  adv.}.  —  ovndye, 
1386.  —  parfit,  44.  —  poetical,  1095.  —  saturnyn(e),  i432f  (:  fyne 
post.   adj.  sg.  )  .  —  special,  68.  —  synguler,  310.  —  vnfamouse, 
1146. 

§  53.  In  the  definite  use  (that  is,  when  preceded  by  a  possessive 
or  demonstrative  pronoun  or  by  the  definite  article)  ,  mono- 
syllabic adjectives  take  an  inflectional  -e.  (Child,  §  32  ;  ten 
Brink,  §  235). 

I.     Ordinals. 

ther  shal  the  thrid[de]  be,  308  ;  the  thirdde  companye,  1657  ; 
the  thirdd^  [whele],  795  ;  the  thrid  (+  vowel},  2070.  —  the 
ferthe  companye,  1690.  —  the  fifte  route,  1703.  —  the  sext[e] 
companye,  1727.  —  [the  seventh  route,  1771].  —  the  tenthe 
day,  63,  in. 


43 

II.  Monosyllabic  Superlatives. 

This  lytel  last[e]  boke,  1093.  — at  the  laste,  496  f ;  atte  laste, 
955  f,  1407  f,  1676  f ;  at  the  laste,  1128  ;  at  the  last  he,  555  ; 
atte  last  hyt,  1726  ;  atte  last  (+  vowel},  1320,  2155. 

Rhyme  words. — caste//,  sg.  ind.  (496,  955,   1407),   faste  adv. 

(1676).- 
the  next[e]  laure,  1107  ;  this  next[e]  folke,  1775. 

III.  Miscellaneous. 

hys  blake  trumpe,  1637,  1865  ;  his  blake  Clarioun,  1801.  — hir 
blynde  sone,    138;    hys  blynde   neviwe,    617. — the   derke 
pyne,  1512. — the  (F  lacks  the)   Duche  tonge,    1234. — this 
lusty  and  riche  place,  1356.  — the  swynt[e]   catte,    1783.  - 
the  faire  white  mone,  2116.  — hir  yonge  sone,  177. 

IV.  Some  examples  are  here  given  of  the  definite  form  of 
words  which  occasionally  show  an  -e  in  forms  not  obviously 
definite  (cf.  §  49). 

his  fals[e]  forswerynge,  153.  — hir  fair[e]  toun,  432. — this 
foule  trumpes  soun,  1642  ;  his  foule  trumpes  ende,  1646.  - 
hir  grete  peyne,  312  ;  the  grete  soun,  1025  ;  the  grete  swogh, 
1031  ;  thy  grete  my ght,  1092  ;  The  grete  god  of  loues  name, 
1489;  The  grete  poete,  1499;  the  gret[e]  wikkednesse, 
1813  ;  the  gret  Omere,  1466  ;  oure  gret  ese,  1753.  — thys 
lovde  fare,  1065. 

V.  ovne  (A.S.  agen)  is  found  only  in  the  definite  use,  — thyn 
ovne  boke,  712  ;  thyn  ovne  sworen  brother,  2101  ;  Our  ovne 
gentil  lady,   1311. 

§  54.  Occasionally,  however,  -e  is  dropped  in  the  definite  form 
of  monosyllabic  adjectives.  (Child,  §  36  ;  ten  Brink,  §  236. 

your  ryght  honde,  322  ;  my  ryght  honde,  1294.  But  this 
phrase  was  pretty  certainly  felt  as  a  compound.  These  are 
the  only  instances  observed  in  H.F.  if  we  except  the  seventh 
route  (1711),  and  in  this  latter  case  the  proper  form  doubt- 
less is  seventh  [e] . 

§  55.  In  vocative  phrases  monosyllabic  adjectives  appear  in  the 
definite  form  when  they  precede  the  noun  (as  in  A.S.  leofa 
Beowulf}.  (Child,  §  34  ;  ten  Brink,  §  235). 

faire  blissfull,  518.  — my  leue  brother,  816.  — O  wikke  Fame, 
349- 

In  definite  and  vocative  phrases  in  which  the  adjective  follows 
the  noun  the  usage  in  H.F.  is  varied. 

(a)  Without  -e,  the  welkene  longe  and  brod(e),  1601  f  (:  abode 
3  sg.pt.  ind.}  ;  lady  bright,  1693  f  0  myght  rc.)  ;  (£)  with 


44 

-<?,  lady  leefe  and  dere,  1827  f  (:  here  inf.}  ;  Josephus  the 
olde,  1433  f  (:  tolde  j  sg.  pt.  md.)  ;  the  sonnes  sonne  the 
rede,  941  f  (  :  lede  inf.')  ;  the  wounde  smerte,  374  f 
(:  herte  n.). 

56.  For  adjectives  of  more  than  one  syllable  which  do  not 
stand  at  the  end  of  the  verse,  the  following  rule  as  to  -e  in 
the  definite  and  vocative  constructions  may  be  inferred  from 
the  usage  of  H.F. 

Of  adjectives  of  more  than  one  syllable  those  alone  take  -e 
which  have  a  primary  or  secondary  accent  on  the  ultima  and 
are  followed  by  a  word  accented  on  the  first  syllable. 

The  special  cases  may  be  stated  as  follows  : 

I.  Dissyllabic  paroxytone  adjectives  take  no  -e  when  the  fol- 
lowing word  is  accented  on  the  first  syllable.     The  verse  will 
not  bear  such  an  arrangement  of  accents  as  06006. 

Example  :  my  crewel  deth.     (See  others  in  \  57). 

II.  For  the  same  reason  dissyllabic  oxytone  adjectives  take 
no  -e  when  the  following  word  is  accented  on  the  second 
syllable. 

Example  :  hys  myghfy  merite  (|  58). 

III.  Trisyllabic  proparoxytone  adjectives  (606)  take  -e  unless 
the  following  word  is  accented  on  the  second  syllable. 

Example  :  the  Trdianysshe '  bloode  ($  59). 

IV.  But  trisyllabic  proparoxytone  adjectives  take  no  -e  when 
the  following  word  is  accented  on  the  second  syllable.     The 
verse  will  not  bear  such  an  arrangement  of  accents  as  606006. 

For  lack  of  a  better  example  :     the  wdnder  most  was  thys  (g  60). 

V.  For  the  same  reason  trisyllabic  paroxytone  adjectives  take 
no  -e  when  the   following   word   is   accented   on   the   first 
syllable. 

Examples  under  I. -IV.  follow  (§§  57-60). 

Note  i.  —  There  is  in  H.F.  no  adjective  of  more  than  three  sylla- 
bles in  the  definite  use.  For  a  few  in  the  indefinite  form,  see 
I  52,  n. 

Note  2.  —  For  the  definite  use  of  the  singular  of  adjectives  of 
more  than  one  syllable  at  the  end  of  the  verse,  cf.  the  fayrest\e~\ 
(T  alone  shows  the  line),  281  f  (:  lest[e]  3  sg.  pt.  subj.}\  Cupido 
the  rechcheles,  668  f  (:  causeles  adv  ). 

57.  I.     Dissyllabic  paroxytone  adjectives  take  no  -e  in  the 
definite    and    vocative    uses   when   the   following   word   is 


45 

accented  on  the  first  syllable.     (Cf.  Child,  §  35  ;  ten  Brink, 

§  246). 

(#)  Cf.  the  plural  superlative  :  the  fynest  stones,  1351. 

(£)  thyn  ovne  sworen  brother,  2101. 

(c)  the  heuenyssh  melodye,  1395. 

(X)  the  holy  Roode,  57. — his  kyndely  enclynynge,   734.- 

his   kyndely   place,     842. — the    melky    weye,    937. — the 

myghty  Muse,  1399. 
(*)  Romance  and  Latin  adjectives  : 
the  cruelle  lyfe,  36.  — my  crewel  deth,  323.  — Our  ovne  gentil 

lady,   1311. — the   Troian  nacion,    207;  the  Troian   Eneas, 

217. 

§  58.     II.     Dissyllabic    oxytone   adjectives   take   no   -e  in   the 

definite  use  when  the  following  word  is   accented   on  the 

second  syllable. 

that  latyn  Poete,  1483.  — hys  myghty  merite,  2019. 
§  59.     III.     Trisyllabic  proparoxytone  adjectives  (606)  take  ~e 

in  the  definite  and  vocative  uses,  unless  the  following  word 

is  accented  on  the  second  syllable. 

the  Troianysshe  bloode,  201.  — his  kyndelych[e]  stede,  829. 
§  60.     IV.     But  trisyllabic  proparoxytone  adjectives  take  no  -e 

when  the  following  word  is  accented  on  the  second  syllable. 

The  verse  will  not  bear  such  an  arrangement  of  accents  as 

606006. 

the  wonder  most  was  thys,  2058. 
§  61.     For  the  same  reason  trisyllabic  paroxytone  adjectives  take 

no  -e  when  the  following  word  is  accented  on  the  first  sylla- 
ble.    No  example. 
§  62.     The  following  are  the  only  examples  of  the  vocative  of 

adjectives  of  more  than  one  syllable  : 

crewel  Jun  oo,  198. — devyne  vertu,  noi. —  OwofulDido,  318. 
§  63.     The  Hous  of  Fame  shows  a  few  well-defined  traces  of  the 

French   inflection  of   adjectives  ;    observe   especially  seynt, 

seynt\e\  (Child,  §  37  ;  ten  Brink,  §  242). 

seynt  (masculine^,  Seynt  lulyane,  1022  ;  by  seynt  Thomas, 
1131  ;  be  seynt  Gyle,  1183;  seynt  [e]  {feminine),  seynt  [e] 
Mary,  573  ;  by  seynt  [e]  clare,  1066.  It  is  true  that  in  these 
examples  final  -e  is  nowhere  written,  but  the  metre  certainly 


46 

requires  an  additional  syllable  before  the  feminine  nouns  in 
573,  1066.  The  identity  of  use —  in  oaths  every  example  — 
and  the  different  requirements  of  metre  seem  clearly  to 
establish  French  inflection  in  this  word.  Cf.  further  beau 
sir  (643),  bele  Isawde  (1796).  And  see  the  vocative 
expression  devyne  vertu  (1101).  Perhaps  the  -e  of femynyne 
(1365)  is  due  to  an  association  of  this  sort.  Observe  also 
the  list  of  French  adjectives  that  have  an  inorganic  -e  (§  52.). 
For  the  French  plural  in  -s  (Child,  §  43  ;  ten  Brink, 
§  243),  see  the  goddys  celestials,  460  f  (:  signals  n.).  . 

§  64.  Adjectives  in  the  Comparative  Degree  usually  end  in 
H.F.  in  -er. 

(a)  fouler,  1638. — gretter,  1378. — wydder,  797. 

(£)  lenger  (A.S.  lengra),  1282  ;  lengere,  1371. 

(V)  better  (A.S.  bet(e)ra,  bettra),  1667.  —bet,  —I  am  no 
bet,  108. 

more  (A.S.  mara),  I.  as  adj.  sing,  indef.  with  nouns  and  pro- 
nouns, —  hit  semed  moche  more,  500  f  ( :  sore  inf. )  ;  more 
lolytee,  682  ;  No  more  semed  than  a  prikke,  907  ;  welmore 
than  hit  was,  1290  ;  waxen  .  .  .  more  .  .  .  Than  hyt  was, 
1495;  -more  encres,  2074;  mor^,  *2o,  2082.  —  The  A.S. 
^-construction,  —  the  more  parte,  336,  344,  1881.  II. 
more,  substantive  use,  —  what  wilt  thou  more,  883  f  ( :  sore 
inf.}  ;  What  shulde  I  more  telle,  1513  ;  gan  ...  to  eche 
(addere)  .  .  .  more,  2067. 

mo,  moo,  plural'  (A.S.  ma,  neut.  subs.),  121,  123,  124,  125, 
674,  675,  677,  679,  685  (bis),  686  (bis),  687,  689,  693, 
695,  697,  1254,  1949  f  (:  goo  inf.).  Willert's  emendation  in 
the  following  verse  seems  very  reasonable  :  And  eke  moo 
holdynge[s]  in  honde(s),  692. 

wors[e]  (A.S.  wiersa,  wyrsa),  wors[e]  name,  1620. 

§  65.  The  Comparative  and  Superlative  of  adjectives  are  some- 
times formed  by  means  of  more  and  most  (Child,  §  38,  d ;  cf. 
ten  Brink,  §  245). 

A  single  example  of  each  of  these  formations  appears  in 
H.F. —  more  clere  entendement,  983. — most  conseruatyf, 
847. 

§  66.     The  Superlative  of  adjectives  ends  in  -est. 

leuest,  — That  hem  were  leuest,  87.  —  For  first,  see  145,  2097. 
For  superlative  in  the  definite  use,  cf.  §§  53,  56,  57,  70. 


47 

§  67.     The  Plural  of  monosyllabic  adjectives  ends  in  -e. 

In  the  following  list  no  definite  or  vocative  forms  are 
included  without  notice.  Here  also  are  included  adjectives 
which  sometimes  or  always  have  -e  in  the  singular. 

I.  Adjectives  standing  immediately  before  the  nouns  modified  : 
faire  (A.S.  faeger  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  49),  ^967. 

goode  (A.S.  god  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  49).  But  we  have  no  certain 
instance  of  sounded  -e  for  this  word.  It  occurs  only  in  the 
expression  good  werkes,  variously  written  by  the  several 
authorities.  We  may  fairly  assume  that  B  T  are  correct  in 
writing  werke  {sing.)  in  1558  : 

Of  good  werke  yive  vs  good  renoun. 
In  1666  all  (except  T,  7^hich  omits  now)  read  : 

That  now  your  good  werkes  be  wiste.     In  this  case  we 
should  doubtless  have  g-ood[e] . 
P  C  T  are  certainly  correct  in  1 707  : 

To  hide  (KB  And  hidden}  her  gode  werkes  eke.     This 
is  better  suited  both  to  sound  and  sense. 
But  there  is  no  question  of  lack  of  final  -e  here  : 

Good  werkes  shal  you  noght  availle,  1616.     (Cf.  §  68). 
grete  (A.S.  great  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  49),  53,  900,  902,  1154,  1192. 
lowde  (A.S.  hlud  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  49),  1217. 
newe  (A.S.  neowe,  niowe  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  46),  654,  1886,  1887. 
olde  (A.S.  eald,  aid;  for  sing.  cf.   §  49),  694,    1442.     But  in 
neither  case  is  -e  sounded.     The  verses  : 
Of  olde  forleten  aqueyntaunces,  694  ; 
As  wel  as  other  olde  mervaylles,  1442. 
But  in  the  latter  example  P  C  T  give  a  verse  without  olde  : 

As  wel  as  of  other  meruayles.     (Cf.  §  68). 
ryche  (A.S.  rice),  123,  1322. 
slowe  (A.S.  slaw),  1778. 
smale  (A.S.  smsel),  1209. 

II.  Adjectives  following  the  nouns  they  modify  : 
falwe  (A.S.  fealu,  fealo),  1936. 

ful  (A.S.  full.    Sing,  ful),  (+  vowel},  1396,  1778. 

glade  (A.S.  glaed),  1889  f  (:  made 3  sg.  pt.  ind. 

gren<?  (A.S.  grene  grcene  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  49),  1937. 

lyght[e]  (A.S.  leoht,  liht,  shortened  from  leoht.     Sing,  lyght), 

743  f  (:  hight[e]    ».).     But  -e  is  written  in  none  of  the 

authorities. 

ofte  (A.S.  oft,  adv.),  35  f  (:  Vn-softe  adj. post.  sg.). 
o\de  (A.S.  eald,  aid  ;  for  sing.  cf.  §  49),  1233. 
rede  (A.S.  read.    Sing,  rede),  1936  f  (:  rede  i  sg. pr.  ind.). 
yonge  (A.S.  geong,  etc.),  1233  f  (:  tonge  «.)• 


48 

III.  fele  (A.S.  feola,  fela,  Ps.  N.  feolu,  feolo  ;  really  old  neut. 
adj.),  names  fele,    1137  f  (:  wele  n.)  ;  fete  yen,  1381  ;  fete 
vpstondyng  eres,  1389  ;  entrees  As  fete,  1946. 

fewe  (A.S.  feawe,  feawa,   Ps.   fea),   they  were  wonder  fewe, 
1691  f  (:  in  a  rewe). 

IV.  The  single  example  of  a  monosyllabic  superlative  in  the 
plural  appears  without  -e :  Where  thou  maist  most  tydynges 
here,  2025. 

V.  Cardinal  numerals  (Child,  §  39,  c ;  ten  Brink,  §  247). 
foure    (A.S.    feower,    North,    feuer,    feor),   the   bestes   foure, 

1383  f  (:  honoure  inf.}. 

sevene  (A.S.  seofon,  W.S.  seofan,  seofen,  siofon),  Doughtres 
sevene,  1007  f ;  sterres  sevene,  1376  f ;  other  seuene,  1437  f. 

Rhyme  words.  —  heuene,  (1007,  1376),  neuene  inf.  (1437). 
eighte  (A.S.  eahta,  North  sehta,   sehto,  aehtowe),   hir  eighte 

sustren,  1401. 

twelue  (A.S.  twelf,  North,  twoelf),  Many  thousand  tymes 
twelue,  1216  f,  2126  f  (both :  hem  selue). 

Note,  —  Other  numerals,  —  on,  oon  (see  \  79),  two  (n6f,  299  f, 
689,  1144  f,  2093,  2104),  twoo  (772),  three  (204),  XX1'1.  (1335, 
2119),  sixty  (1979),  thousand  (1216,  1949,  2119,  2126),  thousande 
(75,  1495)- 

VI.  Monosyllabic  participles  (see  also  §  68). 

An  how  his  shippes  dreynte  were,  233  ;  Thilke  that  vnbrende 
were,  173  ;  Been  al  the  dores  ....  vnshet[te],  1953  f  (:  let 
impedire. ) . 

VII.  Romance  adjectives  : 

noble  (O.F.  noble),  noble  gestes,  1737.  — pore  (O.K.  povre), 
pore  and  ryche,  1532. 

VIII.  Adjectives  which  are  both  plural  and  definite  of  course 
have  -e  : 

the  Egles  fethres  bright  [e]    (FB  lack  the  line),  507  f  (:  lyght 

inf. )  ;  the  fy nest  stones  faire,  1351  f  (:  lapidaire  n.)  ;  fals[e] 

theves  (vocative},  1779  ; 

And  with  hys  grym  [me]  pawes  stronge 
Within  hys  sharpe  nayles  longe,  541-2  ; 

the  roches  holowe,    1035  f  (:  swalowe  inf.)  ;    hys  shuldres 
•   hye,  1435  (:  lewerye  n.)  ;  the  olde  gestes,  1515;  mysorwes 

smert[e],   316  f  (:  hert  n.~)  ;  the  dores  wide,    1420  f  (syde 

n.). — these  straunge  thynges,  1236. 
68.     Monosyllabic  perfect  participles  standing  in  the  predicate 

regularly  take  no  -e  in  the  plural, 
(i. )     Before  consonants  and  at  the  end  of  the  verse  :  —  loues 

.  .  .  That  ben  (FB  lack  ben)  betyde,  680  ;  in  the  see  were 


49 


lefte  behynde,  238  ;  we  ben  wel  quyt,  1614  f  (:  hytpro.)  ; 
your  good  werkes  be  wist(e),  1666  f  (:  leste  3  sg.  pr.  ind.)  ; 
corovnes  wroght  ful  of  losynges,  1317.  —  (ii.)  Before  vowels 
and^.-  —  his  shippes  .  .  .  were  .  .  .  lost  he  nyste  where, 
234  ;  youre  Actes  red  and  songe,  347  ;  They  wer  set  as  thik, 


But  in  three  cases  the  -e  appears  :  And  how  his  shippes 
dreynte  were,  233  ;  Thilke  that  vnbrende  were,  173  ;  Been  al 
the  dores  .  .  .  vnshet[te],  1953  f  (:  let  inf.).  In  the  last 
example  F  alone  shows  the  abbreviated  forms  vnshet,  let. 

69.  Monosyllabic  adjectives  standing  in  the  predicate  do  not 
always  take  -e  in  the  plural  (Child,  §  41  ;  ten  Brink,  §  234). 

let  your  werkes  be  ded(e),  1701  f  (:  hede  n.)  ;  ye  (vos)  be  lyke 
the  swynt[e]  catte,  1783  ;  be  ye  (vos)  wood(e),  1713  f 
(:  goode  n.  ace.)  ;  they  were  wod(e),  1809  f  (:  hode  n.). 

So  occasionally  when  the  plural  adjective  is  used  attribu- 
tively. 

Ten  Brink's  remark,  "  Im  Plural  des  attributiv  stehenden 
Adjectivs  (gleichviel  ob  starker  oder  schwacher  Flexion)  tritt 
die  Apocope  [des  flexivischen  -e]  kauin  ein  ;  niemals,  wenn 
der  Adjectiv  voransteht  "  (§  236),  is  expressly  contradicted 
by  the  following  verse  : 

Of  olde  forleten  aqueyntaunces,  694.     So  also  : 
As  we!  as  other  olde  mervayles,    1442.     In  the  latter 
verse,  however,  PCT  show  variant  readings,  omitting  olde. 
To  these  we  may  add  : 

Good  werkes  shal  you  noght  availle,  1616.     But  good 
weikes  is  a  quasi-compound. 

Note.  —  For  plurals  standing  before  vowels,  cf.  fressh  (1156), 
good<?  (1756),  good  (1780),  rych^  (i532)>  wis*  (1756)-  For 
other  examples  of  plurals  in  the  predicate,  cf.  glade  (645  f  ), 
grene  (1947),  meke  (1402  f),  white  (1937  f),  wide  (1952  f), 
wrothe  (2103  f  ),  y-lyche  (1328  f  ). 

70.  For  adjectives  of  more  than  one  syllable  which  do  not 
stand  at  the  end  of  the  verse,  the  rule  as  to  -e  in  the  plural 
is  the  same  as  that  already  stated  for  the  definite  and  voca- 
tive constructions  (§  56).     Of  such  adjectives  those  alone 
take  -e  which  have  a  primary  or  secondary   accent  on  the 
ultima,  and  are  followed  by  a  word  accented  on  the  first  syl- 
lable (cf.  Child  §  40  ;  ten  Brink,  §  233). 

(«)  They  wera-cheked  bothe  two,  2093  5  arryved  were,  1047  ; 


50 

somme  corouned  wer,  1316  ;  boystes  Crammed  ful,  2129  ; 
shrippes  entremedled  with,  2124  ;  feyned  reparacions,  688  ; 
for-leten  aqueyntaunces,  694  ;  greses  growen  in,  1351  ;  dores 
opened  wide,  1952  ;  roten  slowe  techches,  1778  ;  we  be  served, 
337  ;  longe  y-served  loues,  678  ;  they  ....  Shul  thus  be 
shamed,  1634;  wenyed  wondres,  2118. 

(£)  we  wrechched  wymmen,  335  ;  wikked  thewes,  1834. 

(V)  vs  .  .  .  happy  vnto,  1757  ;  ye  maisty  Swyne,  1777  ;  myghty 
werkes,  1504  ;  his  slepy  thousande  sones,  75  ;  sondry  glees, 
1252;  sondry  habitacles,  1194;  sondry  regiouns,  1529; 
sondry  stages,  122  ;  these  sory  creatures,  1632  ;  thy  werray 
neygh[e]bor[e]s,  649  ;  seuene  .  .  .  worthy  for  to  neuene, 
1438  ;  vs  .  .  .  worthy  wise  and  gode,  1756. 

(d)  These  ben  eyryssh  bestes,  932  ;  the  ayerissh  bestes,  965. 

(*)  fele  vpstondyng  eres,  1389  ;  wonder  thynges,  674,  1893  ; 
ydel  al  cure  lyfe  y-be,  1733  ;  ye  ydel  wrechches,  1777. 

(/)  certeyn  ascendentes,  1268  ;  dyvers  transmutacions,  1969  ; 
famouse  folkes  names,  1137  ;  famous  were,  1249  ;  the  mer- 
velouse  signals,  459  ;  So  palpable  they  shulden  be,  869  ; 
many  subtile  compassinges,  1188. 

71.  The  treatment  of  the  plural  of  adjectives  of  more  than 
one  syllable  at  the  end  of  the  verse  is  illustrated  by  the  fol- 
lowing examples : 

Be  we  cried  or  still  y-rovned 

Thus  saugh  I  fals  and  sothe  compovned,  2107-8  ; 
we  ben  deceyuyd  (F  lacks  the  line),  340  f  (:  receyved  pp.). 

For  the  single  instance  of  the  French  plural  (Child,  §  43), 
cf.  the  goddys  celestials,  460  f  (:  signals  n.). 

72.  Adjectives  in  A.S.  -lie  (-lie),  O.N.  -ligr,  appear  in  H.F. 
with  the  ending  -ly. 

Ten  Brink's  theory  (§  270)  that  Chaucer  was  inclined  to 
use  -lick  instead  of  -ly  when  the  following  word  began  with 
a  vowel  is  not  supported  in  H.F.  There  is  but  a  single 
example  of  -lick,  as  follows  : 

Hath  his  kyndelych[e]  stede,  829.  Here  1ych\e\  is  cer- 
tainly correct,  and  appears  to  be  used  solely  to  fill  out  the 
measure  of  the  verse.  The  variants  are,  —  B  kyndly, 
T  kyndlyche,  PC  lack  the  verse. 

frendly  chere,  1743  ;  frendly  manere,  278  ;  euery  kyndely 
thynge,  730  ;  a  kyndely  stede,  731  ;  hys  kyndely  enclyn- 
ynge,  734  ;  his  kyndely  place,  842. 


PRONOUNS. 

73.     I.     Personal  Pronouns. 

I  (A.S.  ic),  12,  13,  14,  52,  59,  61,  62,  64,  65,  etc.,  etc.  ;  y,  477, 
548,  764,  782,  850,  854,  864,  etc.  /is  the  ruling  form. 

Rhyme  words. — Adverbs  in  -ly  (13,  52,  62,  129,  313,  582,  1046, 
1128,  1320,  1391,  1404,  2138),  why  (999),  mercy  (1873),  by 
(1989). 

thou  (A.S.  Jm),  202,  574,  577,  602,  603,  607,  615,  624,  etc., 
etc.  ;  thow,  596,  793,  1839,  etc.  The  reduced  form  -ow  is 
very  often  attached  to  verbs, — artow,  1872  ;  herestow,  1031, 
1862  ;  maistow,  1024^ ;  nostow,  1010  ;  shaltow,  2026  ;  wostow, 
1000,  1784,  1791  ;  but,  —  darst  thou,  560;  fairest  thou,  887  ; 
mayste  thou,  747  ;  mayst  thou,  826  ;  shalt  thou,  711  ;  wilt 
thou,  883  ;  wost  thou,  781,  790,  863.  The  contracted  form 
is  uniform  in  B,  while  P  never  shows  it. 
Rhyme  word.  — now  (77^)- 

he  (A.S.  he),  14,  78,  81,  98,  101,  102,  107,  115,  166  (bis),  176, 
185,  187,  etc.,  etc.  ;  hee,  454,  904,  etc.  ;  hye,  1595.  Com- 
mon in  rhyme,  —  193,  225,  307,  364,  454,  904,  etc. 

she,  163,  184,  191,  235,  240,  268,  284,  296,  299,  300,  etc., 
etc.  ;  shee,  256.  Common  in  rhyme,  — 242,  256,  323,  358, 
1 08 1,  etc. 

hyt,  hit  (A.S.  hit),  nom.,  ace.,  and  with  prepositions,  2,  6,  46, 
50,  51,  83,  91,  92,  97,  102,  112,  130,  and  passim  ;  occasion- 
ally yt,  it,  822,  1033,  1042,  1108,  1623,  1680.  In  rhyme 
there  are  two  examples,  — hyt(te),  701  f  (:  witte  n.~)  ;  hyt, 
1613  f  (:  quyt//.  pred.  plur.).  Except  in  our  MS.  it  is  the 
prevailing  form. 

me  (A.S.  me),   dat.,   ace.,  and  with  prepositions,      (a)  Dative 
without  preposition,   119,   300,   313,  499,  560,  853,  870,  etc. 
(0)  Other  oblique  uses,  60,  107,317  (mee),   324,   565,   576, 
and  passim.     Reflexive,   246,   1286.     Common  in  rhyme,  - 
107,  324,  565,  576,  874,  887,  893,  etc. 

the  (A.S.  ]>e),  dat. ,  ace. ,  and  with  prepositions.  (#)  Dative 
without  preposition,  578,  601,  726,  782,  871,  894,  etc. 
(£)  Other  oblique  uses,  526,  598,  599,  600,  613,  627,  662, 
and  passim.  Reflexive,  627.  Common  in  rhyme,  606,  648 
(thee),  839,  870,  894,  1044,  etc. 

hym,  him  (A.S.  him),  dat.,  ace.,  and  with  prepositions, 
(a)  Dative  without  preposition,  32,  101,  255,  423,  etc. 


52 

(£)  Other  oblique  uses,    169,    191,   257,  259,  260,  412,  413, 
420,  and  passim.     Reflexive,  231,  389,  etc.     Not  in  rhyme. 

hir,  her  (  A  .S .  hire) ,  dat. ,  ace. ,  and  with  prepositions .  (a)  Dative 
without  preposition,  263,  368,  395,  etc.  (£)  Other  oblique 
uses,  185,  232,  267,  294,  295,  297,  298,  371,  403,  414,  416, 
418,  424,  etc.  Within  the  verse  final  -e  is  nowhere  written, 
and  this  is  true  of  the  other  MSS.  as  well.  In  rhyme  there 
are  two  examples,  both  with  sounded  -e,  —  to  hire,  420  f 
(:  swere  inf. )  ;  here,  ace. ,  1003  f  (bere  «.). 

we  (A.S.  we),  337,  339,  886,  1553,  1697  f  (:  bounte  n.),  etc. 

ye  (A.S.  ge),  330,  338,  343,  512,  520,  Sindpassim  ;  as  singular, 
213,  320,  322,  326,  andpassim. 

Rhyme  words.  — pitee  n.  (326),  be  inf.  (1258). 

they  (O.N.  }>eir),  84,  683,  706,  744,  869,  999,  and  passim. 
Does  not  occur  in  rhyme. 

vs  (A.S.  us),  dat.,  ace.,  and  with  prepositions.  (a)  Dative 
without  preposition,  i,  58,  406,  1536,  1609,  1748,  etc. 
(£)  Other  oblique  uses,  293,  465,  466,  470,  1313,  1537,  etc. 
Reflexive,  2102. 

Rhyme  words.  — Theseus  (406),  Venus  (465),  thus  (470).  Eolus 
(1862). 

yow  (A.S.  eow),  dat.,  ace.,  and  with  prepositions.  (#)  Dative 
without  preposition,  65,  109,  150,  529,  547,  etc.  ;  yow(e), 
1418  f,  1822  f.  (£)  Other  oblique  uses,  252,  339,  1179, 
1256,  1343,  and  passim.  (<:)  As  singular,  324,  329  (yow*), 
346,  and  often. 

Rhyme  words.  — how  (547),  nowe  (1418,  1822). 

hem,  hym,  him  (A.S.  him,  heom),  dat.,  ace.,  and  with  preposi- 
tions, (a}  Dative  without  preposition,  40,  83,  87,  90,  684, 
etc.  (£)  Other  oblique  uses,  15,  19,  22,  88,  474,  640,  928 
(P  them],  and  passim,  hym,  1210,  1211,  1212,  1214.  him 
1582. 

74.     II.     Possessive  Pronouns. 

my,  myn  (A.S.  min).  I.  Singular,  (a)  my  before  consonants  : 
my  gynnynge,  66  ;  my  sweuene,  79  ;  my  fauor,  519  ;  my 
brayn,  525  ;  my  dreme,  527  ;  my  felynge,  552  ;  my  name, 
558  ;  my  mynde,  564  ;  my  ryght  honde,  1294  ;  also  583,  702, 
710,  776,  871,  1182,  etc.,  etc.  (b}  myn  before  vowels  :  myn 
ye,  498,  906,  1492  ;  myn  ymagynacion,  728  ;  myn  age,  1986  ; 
myn  egle,  1990  ;  myn  entente,  2000  ;  myn  entent,  2132  ;  but 
my  arte,  1882.  (<:)  myn  before  h :  myn  hede  273,  1103, 
1702  ;  myn  hert,  1148  ;  but  my  hert  (P  myn},  1570.  (a?) 
myn  postpositive :  lady  myn  he  seyde.  II.  Plural,  (a) 


53 

my  :  my  fete,  1050.  (3)  myn  :  myn  eyen,  495,  1408.  III. 
myn  noun  omitted :  Ywel  thrifte  come  to  your  lowes  And 
eke  to  myn,  1787. 

thy,  thyn  (A.S.  pm).  I.  Singular.  («)  thy  before  consonants : 
thy  prowe,  579  ;  thy  frende,  582  ;  thy  trouthe,  613,  889  ; 
thy  witte,  620  ;  thy  studye,  633  ;  thy  labour,  652  ;  thy  grete 
myght,  1092  ;  also  658,  925,  971,  1405,  1537,  etc.,  etc.  (£) 
thyn  before  vowels :  thyn  engyne,  528  ;  thyn  abstynence, 
660  ;  thyn  advertence,  709  ;  thyn  ovne  boke,  712  ;  thyn  ye, 
935  ;  thyn  auenture,  1052  ;  thyn  other  trumpe,  1672  ;  thyn 
ovne  sworen  brother,  2101 .  (c)  thyn,  thy,  before  h  :  thyn  hede, 
632  ;  thyn  hande,  741  ;  thyn  heuynesse,  2011  ;  thy  hede 
(P  thyn),  621  ;  thy  house  (P  thyn),  659  ;  thy  hertys  reste, 
2017.  II.  Plural,  (a)  thy:  thy  werray  neyghbors,  649; 
thy  dors,  650.  (£)  thyn  :  thyn  eres,  879. 

hys,  his  (A.S.  his),  so  passim  with  both  masculine  and  neuter 
nouns  singular  and  plural  :  his  slepy  thousand  sones,  75  ; 
his  fals  forswerynge,  153  ;  his  chere  and  his  lesynge,  154  ; 
hys  bakke,  169  ;  hys  honde,  171  ;  his  shippes,  233  ;  his  ye, 
291  ;  his  aventure,  463  ;  hys  grym  pawes,  541  ;  hys  sharpe 
nayles,  542  ;  hys  arte,  627  ;  his  other  clarioun,  1579,  etc., 
etc.  The  spelling  hys  is  the  commoner  of  the  two. 

hir,  her,  hyr  (A.S.  hire),  so  passim  before  vowels  and  conso- 
nants singular  and  plural  :  hir  figure,  132  ;  hir  hede,  134  ; 
hyr  hede,  136  ;  hir  dowves,  137  ;  hir  blynde  sone,  138  ;  Hyr 
lyfe  hir  loue  hir  luste  hir  lorde,  258  ;  hir  hondes  two,  299  ; 
her  skyn,  1229;  hir  fete,  1374,  1391  ;  hir  eyen,  1379  ;  hir 
heere,  1386  ;  hir  eighte  sustren,  1401,  etc.,  etc.  The  form 
hir  largely  predominates,  hyr,  her  being  very  unusual  except 
inCT. 

oure,  our  (A.S.  ure).  I.  Singular.  (<z)  before  consonants  : 
our  myght,  1694;  our  name,  1696;  oure  lyfe,  1733;  oure 
gret  ese,  1753  ;  oure  fame,  1836.  (b)  before  vowels  :  our 
ovne  gentil  lady,  1311.  (^)  before  h  :  oure  herte,  1749. 
II.  Plural,  (a)  oure  sorwes,  1610  ;  our  werkes,  1696. 

your  (A.S.  eower),  so  passim.  In  the  examples  cited  below 
singular  antecedents  are  marked  as  such.  I.  Singular  : 
Your  loue  rie  your  boiide  (5.),  321  ;  your  ryght  honde  (5.), 
322  ;  your  loue,  341  ;  your  cause  (s.),  1563  ;  your  soule  (s.), 
1612  ;  your  askynge,  1700.  II.  Plural  :  your  good  werkes, 
1666;  your  werkes,  1701. 

her,  hir  (A.S.  heora,  hiera),  so  passim.  I.  Singular,  (a) 
before  consonants  :  hir  signifiaunce,  17  ;  her  brayne,  24  ;  her 
thought,  92  ;  hir  matere,  637  ;  her  descripsion,  987  ;  hir 


54 

fame,  1146  ;  her  tytne,  1249,  1523,  etc.,  etc.  (£)  before 
vowel  :  her  axyng,  1541.  (V)  before  h  :  her  hert,  1799  ; 
her  hode,  1810.  II.  Plural,  (a)  her  loues,  86  ;  hir  kyndes, 
968;  her  places,  1014;  her  fames,  1139;  her  loses,  1688; 
her  goode  werkes,  1707;  her  lestes,  1738,  etc.  The  spelling 
her  predominates  largely.  P  shows  here  frequently,  always 
monosyllabic.  C  has  theyr  occasionally,  —  156,  987,  etc. 

75.  III.     Reflexive  and  Intensive  Pronouns. 

The  compounds  of  self   (A.S.  self,  sylf,  etc.)   appearing./7. 

in   the   forms  -self,   -selfe,   -selue,   -self en  (Child,  §  46  ;   ten 

Brink,  §  255.     Cf.  also  §  79,  below), 
my  selfe.  —  I  wil  my  selfe  alle  hyt  drynke,  i&8o. 
thy  selfe,  thy  selfen.  — Thow  demest  of  thy  selfe  amys,  596  ; 

And  wost  thy  selfen  outtirly  Disesperat  of  alle  blys,  2014-15. 
hym  self  [e] ,  hym  selfe.  —  And  alle  the  batayles  that  hee  Was 

at  hym  selfe  and  eke  hys  knyghtis,   454-5  ;    Euery  sercle 

causynge  other  Wydder  than  hym  self [e]  was,  796-7. 
hir  selfe,  hir  selfe,  hir  selfe.  —  Wherfore  she  slowe  hir  selfe  alias, 

268  ;  Quod  she  to  hir-selfe  thoo,  319  ;   She  rofe  hir  selfe  to 

the  herte,  373  ;  She  henge  hir  selfe  ryght  be  the  hals,  394. 
hem  selue.  — A  fer  fro  hem  alle  be  hem  selue,  1215  f  (:  twelue 

num.). 

76.  IV.     Demonstrative  Pronouns. 

No  distinction  is  attempted  between  the  substantive  and 
adjective  uses. 

that  (A.S,  }>aet),  7,  9,  20,  244,  563,  651,  951,  1064,  etc.,  etc.  ; 
in  rhyme,  1887  f,  2050  f  (both  :  what  pro.). 

thoo,  tho  (A.S.  fa),  Of  thoo  that  hadde  large  fame,  1412  ;  Tho 
behynde  (be)gunne  vp  lepe,  2150. 

thilke,  plur.,  Thilke  that  vnbrende  were,  173. 

that  ylke,  sing.,  that  ylke  place,  1169  ;  that  ylke  shrewe,  1842. 

this,  thys.  I.  Sing.,  8,  9,  n,  20,  23,  53,  54,  74,  157,  239, 
279,  286,  and  passim.  Common  in  rhyme,  — 517,  577,  652, 
699,  729,  863.  914,  etc.  There  is  one  instance  of  these :  Of 
these  yates  florisshinges,  1301,  — apparently  through  misap- 
prehension of  the  number  of  yates.  II.  Plur.  these  (thise, 
thes) ,  monosyllabic  except  in  2009  :  Fynally  with  these 
thinges.  Cf.  these,  n,  12,  37,  716,  750,  845,  1008,  1264, 
1288,  1331,  1455,  1471,  1503,  1632,  1793,  1894,  1938,  1939, 
2127  ;  thise,  1225  ;  thes  fumiygaciones,  1264. 

thys  ylke,  this  ilke,  sing.,  thys  ylke  noble  quene,  1409  ;  this 
ilke  noble  quene,  1535.  —  thes^  ilke,  plur.,  Which  thes^-  ilke 
loners  leden,  37. 


55 

Note.  — A  remnant  of  the  A.S.  demonstrative  \a>m,  \am,  ]>an,  is 
seen  in  the  phrases  for  the  nones  (2087)  and  wyth  the  nones 
(2099  f ).     The  A.S.  instrumental  appears  in  the  ferther  .  .  . 
thegretter  (1651-2),  and  in  such  phrases  as  the  lesse  (620). 

§  77.     V.     Interrogative  Pronouns. 

whoo,  nom.  (A.S.  hwa),  474. 
whos,  gen.,  not  observed, 
whom,  dat.  and  ace. ,  not  observed. 

what,  I.  Subs.,  nom.,  601,  1147,  IJ58,  1839,  etc.;  ace.,  320, 
1636,  1784  f  (what(te)  ),  1887  f,  2094  f,  etc.  II.  Adj., 
nom.,  781,  1123,  1342,  1543,  etc.;  ace.,  475,  587,  etc.;  of 
what  congeled  matere,  1126. 

Rhyme  words.  — catte  n.  (1784),  that  pro.  (1887,  2094). 
Note. —For  what  =  why     cf.    1282,    1513.     Remnants    of   the 
instrumental  hwy  are  seen  in  why  (995,  looof )  and  in  ffor- 
why  (20),  for  why  (725),  for  whi  (1183). 
which,  see  under  Relatives,  §  78. 

§  78.     VI.  Relative  Pronouns  and  Pronominal  Adjectives,  and 
the  Interrogative  (etc.)  which. 

that,  a  general  relative  for  all  genders  and  numbers,  38,  54,  70, 
71,  72,  77,  81,  82,  83,  84,  87,  90,  91,  and  passim  ;  that  —  id 
quod,  354,  361,  1024,  1519  ;  also  what  that  =  id  quod,  no, 
380,  etc.  ;  that  =£z  qui,  1550  ;  that  .  .  .  his  =  whose,  139  ; 
that  .  .  .  her  =  whose,  1402. 

whom,  —  For  whom  was  maked  moch  compleynt,  924  ;  also  Of 
whom  that  speketh  virgilius,  1244. 

who-so,  who  so,  *i2,  94,  447,  807,  etc.  ;  who-s6,  377. 

what  so,  — what  so  cometh  fro  any  tonge,  721  ;  also  what  so 
euer  in  al  these  three  Is  spoken,  716-17. 

what,  as  a  ' '  general  relative, "  —  in  what  place  That  hem  were 
leuest  for  to  stonde,  87-88  ;  For  what  I  drye  or  what  I  thynke 
I  wil  my  selfe  alle  hyt  drynke,  1879—80. 

Interesting  are, — What  with  his  sours  and  with  my  drede,  551  ; 
The  thynges  that  I  herde  there  What  a  lovde  and  what  in  ere, 
2057-8. 

which.  —  I.  Interrogative  (in  indirect  questions  and  exclama- 
tions) :  which  (=  quales]  they  ben,  999  ;  which  (=  qualis) 
acongregacion,  2034.  II.  Relative,  (i.)  Sing,  (a)  pronoun: 
which,  446,  607,  755,  843,  etc.  ;  which*?,  529,  969,  1493, 
1581,  etc.  ;  whiche,  37,  1349,  1444,  etc.  ;  which  that,  176, 
437,  531*  633,  etc.  ;  wich  that,  1077  ;  whiche  that,  609,  949, 
1326,  2156.  (b)  adjective :  thurgh  which  magike,  1269  ;  vnto 


56 

whiche  place,  733.    (ii.)  Plur.    («)  which  772,   1265,  etc.  ; 
whiche,  1255,  1427,  1455  ;  which  that,  931,  1253,  etc. 

the  whiche,  the  which,  — only  in  singular.  Pronoun,  the  which 
as,  64  ;  the  whiche,  1069.  Adjective,  the  whiche  Anchises, 
171. 

suche  (A.S.  swilc,  swelc).  I.  Sing.,  always  monosyllabic  : 
suche  a,  103,  517,  1524,  1645,  1841;  such^  another,  1296, 
1367,  1914;  swich  a  nother,  1171  ;  suche  vntrouthe,  384, 
395;  suche  folk  (F  folkes),  1828;  suche  noblesse,  471; 
such<?  richesse,  472;  suche  renoun,  1709,  etc. — he  suche 
semed,  264;  Such*?  as,  1746;  That  oure  fame  suche  be 
knowe,  1836.  II.  Plur.,  dissyllabic  :  suche  dremes,  35  ; 
suche  wordes,  311  ;  suche  thynges,  1889.  But  in  the  follow- 
ing verse  suche  gives  a  harsh  reading  :  But  these  be  no 
suche  tydynges,  1894. 

79.     VII.     Other  pronominal  words. 

same  (O.N.  samr  ;  definite  sami  ;  cf.  A.S.  same,  adv.),  the 
same,  pro.  sg.,  2063.  Adjective  in  the  definite  use  :  the  same 
wyse,  1 06 1  ;  the  same  wight,  1076  ;  the  same  body,  1081  ; 
the  same  thing  the  same  bone,  1774. 

selfe  (A.S.  sylf,  self;  definite,  sylfa,  selfa),  the  selfe  day,  1157. 

somme,  some,  sum  (A.S.  sum),  monosyllabic  except  in  rhyme. 
I.  Adj.  (#)  sing.  :  somme  man,  29;  somme  disport,  664  ; 
somme  recompensacion,  665  ;  somme  maner  thinge,  670  ; 
somme  good,  1998,  etc.  ;  sum  place,  827.  (b)  plur.  :  somme 
newe  tydynges,  1886.  II.  Subs.,  phir.  :  somme,  1539; 
some,  1540  ;  somm^,  6,  34,  1538  ;  somme,  5  f  (:  come  inf.)  ; 
al  and  some,  46  f  (:  come  inf.). 

sumwhat,  somme  what  (A.S.  sumhwset),  sumwhat  here,  1998  ; 
somme  what  for  to  eche,   2065.     Also  used  adverbially,  — 
sumwhat  agreable,  1097. 

other  (A.S.  63er).  I.  Adj.  (a)  sing.  :  other  thinge,  891  ; 
other  maner,  1219  ;  that  other  syde,  1151  ;  non  other  auttor, 
314;  another  booke,  657;  another  whele,  794;  another 
ayre,  813,  etc.  (£)  plur.  :  other  werkes,  54  ;  noon  other 
weyes,  585  ;  other  thynges,  643,  743  ;  other  clerkys,  760  ; 
other  seuene,  1437,  etc.  II.  Subs,  (a)  sing.  :  another, 
307,  1296;  a  nother,  1171  ;  other,  796  f,  799,  815  f,  817, 
2102  f.  (b)  plur.  :  other,  23,  1246,  2151. 
Rhyme  word.  —  brother  n. 

Note.  —  For  the^w.  sing.,  cf.  otheres  sterynge,  800  ;  others  ere, 
2044.     Perhaps  the  gen.  pi.  is  seen  in  other  heles,  2153. 

eche,  ech  (A.S.  selc),  adj.,  eche  disese,  89  ;  subs.,  ech<?  of  hem, 
745,  2096  ;  ech  of  the  pynnacles,  1193  ;  ech^  of  these,  1470  ; 


57 

eche  of  vs,  1537  ;  They  had  good  fame  eche  deserued,  1545  ; 
eche  with  other,  2102  ;  she  gan  yeve  ech^  hys  name,  2112. 
— echon,  150  f  (:  anon). 

euery  (A.S.  £efre  +  A.S.  selc)  counts  as  a  dissyllable  (cf.  ten 
Brink,  §  262).  The  usual  spelling  is  euery  (i,  58,  65,  80, 
99,  210,  254,  etc.,  etc.)  ;  but  also  euerych  (817),  and  eueryche 

(47,  975). 
euerychon,  euerychoon,  337  f,  1660  f,  1717  f,  1772  f,  1776  f. 

Rhyme  words.  —  anoii  (1660,  1717,  1772),  groon  inf.  (337),  doon 

AM  177*). 

any,  eny  (A.S.  senig),  sing,  and  plur., — usually  spelt  any 
(99,  261,  33_3,  478,  etc.)  ;  but  also  eny  (1074,  1122). 

eyther  (A.S.  segSer),  adj.,  on  eyther  syde,  1419  ;  eyther  bere, 
1004. 

neyther  (A.S.  ne  +  A.S.  segfter),  subs.,  neyther  of  hem,  2094. 

bothe  (O.N.  bafiir),  adj.,  Til  hyt  at  bothe  brinkes  bee  803  ; 
They  wer  a-cheked  bothe  two,  2093;  bothe,  subs.,  2104  f 
( :  wrothe  pred.  adj.  pi. ) . 

ovne,  see  §  53,  V. 

men  =  one.  The  use  of  men  as  an  indefinite  pronoun  (—  Ger. 
man)  is  very  common.  The  verb  accompanying  it  seems 
sometimes  singular,  sometimes  plural ;  and  it  is  often  diffi- 
cult to  distinguish  between  this  indefinite  men  and  men 
meaning  people  in  general:  —  men  clepeth,  73,  937;  men 
may  .  .  .  rede,  385  ;  men  may  casten,  1048  ;  men  seyn, 
1147;  men  had  writen,  1156;  men  myght  hyt  han  herd, 
1929  ;  men  may  yet  seen,  1948  ;  etc.  The  shortened  form 
me  occurs  once,  —  B  73.  Observe  also  :  As  smale  as  man 
may  se,  487. 

oon,  oo,  o  ;  noon,  non,  no  (A.S.  an,  nan).  I.  The  full  forms 
are  found  in  all  substantive  constructions  ;  so  also  in  adjective 
constructions  when  the  adjective  follows  its  noun  or  stands 
by  itself  in  the  predicate.  Thus,  —  That  useth  oon,  562  ; 
Hier  stant  ther  non,  1117  ;  oon  or  two,  1144  ;  oon  seyde, 
H77  J  good  fame  non,  1560  f;  that  oon,  1855  f;  oon  that 
stoode,  1869  ;  porter  ther  is  noon,  1954  ;  oon  had  herde, 
2060.  II.  In  the  attributive  position,  oo,  o  are  regular 
before  consonants,  oon  occurring  once  ;  no  is  the  invariable 
form  before  consonants,  noon,  non  before  vowels  and  h.  - 
o  thynge,  1068  ;  o  sentence,  noo  ;  oo  thing,  1650  ;  but  oon 
thyng,  2002  ;  oo  tydynge,  2109.  — no  man,  32,  60,  680,  763  ; 
no  maner  creature,  489  ;  no  wonder,  913  ;  no  fors,  999,  ion, 
1910;  no  richesse,  1423;  no  fame,  1709,  1716;  no  good, 
1795  ;  etc.  — noon  oppinion,  55  ;  non  other  auttour,  314  ; 


58 

noonarte,  335  ;   noonharme,  577  ;  non  harme,  1045.    Plural. 
(<z)  no  tydynges,  644;  (b)  noon  other  weyes,  585. 
ought,  aught  (A.S.  awiht,  aht,  owiht,   oht),  whan  thou  hast 
of  ought  knowynge,  891  ;  Wilt  thou  lere  of  sterres  aught, 

993  f  ;  ought  thow  knowest,  912  (F  B  lack  the  line}. 
noght,   naught,   novght   (A.S.   nawiht,   etc.),  of  noght  elles, 

646  ;  Sovne  is  noght  but  eyre,  765  ;  quod  y  ryght  naught, 

994  f  ;  Good  werkes  shal  yow  noght  availle,    1616  ;  Ne  of 
Fame  wolde  they  novght,  1712  f  ;  Ne  elles  noght  from  wym- 
men  sent,  1742  ;  also  That  skorne  hyt  noght(e),  91  f  ;   goo 
noght  awey,  317  ;  And  noght  hym  nor  his  folke  dispisest, 
638  ;    noght   only,    647  ;    Hyt   nedeth  noght,    1072,    1299  ; 
Though  I  hem  noght  be  ordre   telle,    1453  ;    me   lyst   hyt 
noght,  1797  ;  etc. 

many  a  (A.S.  manig),  sing.,  dissyllabic, — many  a  shrewde 
vice,  275  ;  many  a  rowe,  448  ;  many  a  citezeyn,  930  ;  many 
a  creature,  2040  ;  many  a  peler,  1421.  — many  oon  (trisyl), 
760  f  (:  platon  pr.  n),  1207  f  0  glascurion pr.  n),  1308  f 
(:  anoon),  1915  f  (:  goon  inf.)  ;  but  many  oon  (dissyl.), 
2026. — many ,  plur . ,  many  wyse,  771  ;  many  subtile  com- 
passinges,  1188  ;  many  thousand  tymes  twelue,  1216  ;  many 
frenges,  1318  ;  many  other  werkynges,  1944  ;  subs.,  So 
many  formed  be  nature,  2039. 

80.     Al,  singular. 

I.  In  its  strictly   adjective  use  al  is   commonest   before    the 
definite  article  and  other  more  or  less  definite  words.     Thus, 

-before  the,  167,  201,  207,  259,  375,  451,  486,  906,  969, 
988,  1114,  1181,  1525,  1601,  1629,  1633,  1640,  1684,  1807, 
1826,  1829,  1932,  2055  ;  before  this,  348,  468,  1065,  1113, 
1161,  1266,  1285,  1551,  1935;  before  that,  933,  1064  ;  before 
™y*  527,  552,  1016,  1175,  1986,  2023,  2132  ;  before  thy,  200, 
2017  ;  before  his,  174,  428,  463,  611  ;  before  hir^poss.  sing.), 
362  (bis),  462  ;  before  our,  1694,  1733;  before  your,  1700; 
before  her  {poss.  plur.),  156. — There  are  two  examples 
before  the  indefinite  article,  — al  a  Realme,  704  ;  alle  a  Citee, 
2080.  —  In  one  expression  only  does  it  seem  to  qualify  the 
noun  immediately, — al  day  (386,  737).  For  al  dispence 
(260)  read  al  the  dispence  for  metrical  reasons.  —  For  alt  his, 
cf.  705,  1341,  etc. 

Note.  —  In  these  uses  al  is  the  prevailing  spelling ;  but  alle 
(monosyl.)  is  not  infrequent  (201,  988,  1161,  1175,  1181,  etc.) 
and  all  occurs  rarely  (933,  969). 

II.  As  a  substantive,  alle  (monosyl.)  is  the  usual  form;  but 
al  occurs  with  some  frequency,  and  there  is  an  occasional  all. 


59 

Examples:  he  that  mouer  ys  of  all(e),  81  f  (:  shalle 
3  sg-  Pr-  ind. )  ;  send  hem  alle  that  may  hem  plese,  90  ;  hyt 
had  al  be  so,  262  ;  alle  that  euer  he  myght  swere,  422  ; 
al  that  I  mette,  523  ;  in  hir  matere  al  devisest,  637  ;  alle  that 
y  of  spake,  978  ;  alle  ys  wele,  1021  ;  Alle  was  of  ston,  1184  ; 
alle  that  longeth  vnto  fame,  1200  ;  flore  and  roof  and  all(e), 
1344  f  (:  walle  n.  nom.)  ;  I  wil  my  selfe  alle  hyt  drynke, 
1880  ;  Alle  mote  oute,  2139.  Here  may  also  be  put  such 
uses  as,  — when  thy  labour  doon  al  ys  (652),  The  halle  was  al 
fid  (1514),  alle  to  good  (1799),  Alle  to  longe  (1506),  alle 
a  fire  (1858).  In  many  of  these  alle  (al}  has  the  force  of 
an  adverb  ;  in  others  the  substantive  or  adjective  force 
is  stronger.  Cf.  288,  296,  506,  1196,  1306,  1354,  1360, 
1362  f  (:  imperiall  adj.),  1458,  1649,  2105,  etc.  —  ouer  al, 
684.  — here  with  alle,  567  ;  her  withal  (+  cons.},  1606  ;  ther 
with  alle,  2031  ;  but  with  alle,  1528  f,  2141  f  (:  both  :  halle 
n.)  ;  with-alle,  212  f  (:  on  the  walle).  In  the  last  example 
our  MS.  is  alone  in  writing  -e,  and  there  is  reasonable  doubt 
whether  it  should  be  sounded.  Wi.,  Sk.  and  He.,  however, 
all  show  it. 

III.  Alle,  singular  (cf.  Child,   §30;  Freudenberger,   p.  35). 
The  form  alle  in  the  singular  is  found  or  required  in  the 
following  verses  : 

And  how  with  al[le]  pyne  he  went,  222  ; 

But  vp  I  clombe  with  alle  payne,  1118  ; 

Disesperat  of  alle  blys,  2015. 

It  is  of  course  possible  to  accent  the  first  syllable  in  each  of 
these  verses,  but  it  makes  very  rough  reading. 

IV.  Alle,  plural.     Whether  adjective  or  substantive,  alle  is 
the  proper  form  in  the  plural.     The  regular  elision  or  omis- 
sion of  ~e  before  vowels  takes  place,  and  -e  is  sometimes 
lacking  where  the  metre  requires  it.     Thus,  —  al  and  some, 
46  ;  Of  alle  that  they  dreme  to  yere,  84  ;  And  for  to  stonde 
al  in  grace,   85  ;  al[le]    kyndes,   204  ;   al[le]    these,    1008  ; 
herd  y  crien  alle,  1313  f  (:  halle  n.)  ;  weren  alle,  1323  ;  alle 
wyse,    1347  ;  besoughten   alle,    1706   f    (:   falle   inf.)  ;  alle 
thing,  1837  ;  al[le]  tymes,  2121  ;  they  were  alle,  2149.  —  In 
the  following  examples  the  adverbial  force  seems  to  predomi- 
nate :    Or  he  had  al  ywonne  hys  ryghtis,  456  ;  Now  wil  we 
speke  al  of  game,  886  ;  And  gunne  choppen  al  aboute,  1824. 

V.  But  alle  is  the  plural  form  before  demonstratives,  etc., 
when  these  words  count  as  a  syllable.     Thus,  —  al  youre 
Actes,  347  ;  al  the  wordes,  376  ;  alle  the  batayles,  454  ;  alle 
the  mervelouse  signals,  459  ;  al  the  pies,  703  ;  al  the  spies, 
704  ;  al  these  three,  716  ;  al  the  heuens  sygnes,  998  ;  al  the 


6o 

men,  1167  ;  alle  the  pepil,  1283  ;  Al  these  armes,  1331  ;  al 
the  paleys  walles,  1398  ;  alle  these  clerkes,  1503  ;  al  the 
gestes,  1518;  alle  your  foos,  1668;  alle  the  worlde,  1721  ; 
alle  her  lestes,  1738  ;  al  the  dores,  1952  ;  alle  the  houses 
Angles,  1959;  Alle  the  sheves,  2140. 

Note.  —  The    following    examples   seem   plural   and  have   been 

registered  as  such  : 

But  for  to  prove  in  alle  wyse,  1347  ; 

That  alle  the  worlde  may  of  hyt  here,  172  ; 

In  alle  thing  ryght  as  hit  is,  1837. 

Ten  Brink  (§  255)  leaves  the  impression  that  it  is  only  before 
the  article  or  other  defining  word  that  alle  ( pi. )  is  mono- 
syllabic. Cf.,  however, — And  al  that  vsed  clarion,  1247. 
And  see  the  following  example,  though  alle  here  must 
certainly  be  adverbial  :  A  fer  fro  hem  alle  be  hem  selue, 
1215. 

81.  The  genitive  plural  of  al  (cf.  Child,  §  44;  ten  Brink, 
§  255)  remains  in  H.F.  in,  — alther  first,  1368  ;  alderfirste, 
1429  ;  alther  fastest,  2131.  Observe  in  this  con nection  al  the 
wonder  most,  2059. 


ADVERBS  AND  OTHER  PARTICLES. 

82.     Anglo-Saxon  adverbs  in  -e  preserve  their  termination  in 

H.F.  (Child,  §  69  ;  ten  Brink,  §  246,  Anm.). 

Here  are  also  included  a  few  later  analogical  formations. 

For  blyve,  inne,  oute,  thanne,  whanne,  see  §  88. 
brod<?  (A.S.  brade),  1683. 
bryghte    (A.S.    beorhte),    503    f;    bryght[e],    1015    f    (both: 

syght  n.). 

dere  (A.S.  deore,  W.S.  diere,  dyre),  1752. 
faire  (A.S.   faeg(e)re,    1539  f  (:  contraire  n.)  ;  fayre,   1630  f 

(:  contrarie  «;)  ;  fair  (+  vowel),  1050. 
faste  (A.S.  fseste),  497,  1675  f  (:  atte  laste),  1865   f  (:  Waste 

inf.')  ;  fast[e],    1204,    i3H»    1569,    1583,    1591,    1592,    1919. 

1990,   2151   f   (:  kast  3  pi.  pt.  ind.)  ;  faste  hit,  2006;  fast 

(+  vowel),  1728,  2146. 
hye  (A.S.  hea(h),  heage),  497  f  (:  ye  n.),   973   f   (:   philoso- 

phye  n.),    X599   f   0   skye  n.)  ;    high[e],   531,    921  ;   high 

(+  vowel),  547,  914. 
kouthe  (A.S.  cu$e),  757  f  (:  mouthe  n.). 


6i 

late  (A.S.  late),  2139. 

longe   (A.S.    longe,    lange),    1300,    1506;    long*,    554,    678; 
longe,  1454  ;  But  hit  were  alle  to  longe  to  rede  The  names 

•   •  -I354-5- 

low[e]  (O.N.  lag-r,  adj.},  1121  f  (:  know  inf.}. 
lowde  (A.S.  hlude),  2096  f  (:  crowde  inf.}  ;  lowd*,  810,  1681. 
nede   (A.S.   nyde,   mede,   nede),    724  f  (:    drede   n.),    786; 

cf.  nedes,  §91. 

rathe  (A.S.  hraSe),  2139  f  (:  lathe  n.). 
sharpe  (A.S.  scearpe),  774  f,  1202  f  (both  :  harpe  n.). 
softe  (A.S.  softe),  1725  f  (:  on  lofte). 
sore  (A.S.  sare),  338,  1590  f  (:  rore  inf.). 
still*  (A.S.  stille),  324. 

streghte  (A.S.  streht, //.),  1992  ;  but  streght  to,  2111. 
swifts  (A.S.  swifte),  1643. 

swithe  (A.S.  switSe),  538,  1859  f  (:  blithe pred.  adj.  sg.). 
thikke  (A.S.  Jricce),   1345  f  (:  wikke  post.  adj.  sg.)  ;  thik  of, 

1350. 

unnethe  (A.S.  uneatte),  2041  ;  cf.  unnethes,  §  91. 
wide  (A.S.  wide),  1488  f  (:  ovide/r.  n.)  ;   1952  f  (:  tyde  n.)  ; 

wid*,  1139. 
yerne  (A.S.  georne),  910  f  (:  discerne  inf.'). 

To  these  may  be  added  the  Romance  words  clere,  pryvee 
and  queynte. 

clere  (O.F.  cler),  1125  f  (:  matere  n.),  1722  f  (:  here  inf.). 
pryvee  (O.F.  prive),  810. 
queynte  (O.F.  cointe),  245  f  (:  peynte  inf.). 

Note.  —  For  mawgree  (O.F.  malgre",  maugre"),  prep.,  cf.  461. 
§  83.     Exceptions  to  §  82. 

ryght  (A.S.  rihte),  113,  132,  358,  394,  417,  477,  561,  7H>  729, 
742,  780,  793,  809,  816,  874,  994,  1073,  1075  f  (:  wight  «.), 
1157;  ryghte,    1524,    1528,   1729,  1792;  ryght*,   1547,  1664. 
—  aryght  (A.S.  on  riht)  has  of  course  no  -e  :  cf.  50  f,  79  f, 
527  f,  2024  f  (all  :  myght  n.)t  1829  f  (:  wyght  n.). 
lyke  (A.S.  gelice),  873  ;  lyk*,  1508. 

Cf.   also  under  longe,   §  82  ;  and  observe  streghte  in  the 
same  section. 

Note  i.  —  Tforfayn  as  adv.,  see  %  85,  n.  i.     For  adoun,  doun,  etc., 

see  I  88,  n.  i. 
Note  2.  —  Yis  (A.S.  gise,  gese)  has  lost  its  -e  :  cf.  706,  706  f,  864  f 

both  :  this  pro  ),  1000,  etc. 

§  84.     Adverbs  in  -fy,  -lyche,  -liche,  lich  (A.S.   -lice,  -lice,  O.N. 
-liga). 

The  evidence  of  the  Hous  of  Fame  MSS.  does  not  bear  out 


62 

ten  Brink's  theory  (§  270)  that  Chaucer  was  inclined  to  use 
-lick  or  liche  before  a  vowel  or  h.  There  are  all  told  but  four 
verses  in  which  these  forms  occur  before  vowels,  as  follows  : 
ffullych*  (B  fullich,  P  fullech*,  C  fullych,  T  fullych*),  428  ; 
queynt  [e] lich  (B  queintilich,  CT  queyntly),  1943  ;  wonder- 
lych  (B  wondyrly,  PCT  wonderly),  1173  ;  wonderlych  (B 
wonderlich,  CT  wonderly),  1922.  On  the  other  hand  -ly 
occurs  1 2  times  before  vowels  and  3  times  before  h  ;  they  are 
indicated  in  the  following  list  by  Gothic  figures.  In  two  verses 
an  additional  syllable  is  required  before  a  consonant  ;  in 
these  -liche  is  manifestly  the  proper  form  :  Enbrowdede 
wonderliche  riche  (so  P  ;  rest  wonderly),  1327  ;  Hir  tho  so 
won  dir  lich  [e]  streght  (so  B  ;  rest  wonderly),  1373.  In  the 
latter  verse  PCT  omit  tho  and  show  silf,  self,  selfe ;  but  the 
line  as  given  is  pretty  certainly  correct. 

besely,  16  ;  boldely,  581  f ;  casuelly  (j  syl.~),  679  f  ;  certeynly, 
128,  1890,  1901;  certenly,  14  f,  994;  craftely,  1203  f; 
cruelly  (/.  trewely),  1661  f;  debonairly,  2013  f  ;  derkly, 
51  f;  dispitously,  161;  diuersly,  1900;  dyuersly,  1546; 
eiitentyfly,  616  f  ;  esely,  1675,  1929  f;  eternally,  1403  f; 
falsly,  389  f ;  falsly,  392  ;  feythfully,  853  f,  963  ;  fully,  290, 
658  ;  fynally,  2009  ;  gladly,  605,  1861  ;  gladly,  1242,  1677  ; 
goodely,  565,  1870;  hardely,  359  f;  hydously,  1599;  inly, 
31  ;  kenely,  1725  ;  lewdely,  *866  ;  lyghtly,  546  ;  oonly,  57, 
1743  ;  oonly,  277,  647  ;  oppenly,  2046  f  ;  outterly,  1541  f  ; 
outtirly,  2014  f;  perpetuelly  (/  syl.),  1364;  prevely,  223, 
360  f;  preuely,  2045  f  ;  purely,  39;  redely,  130  f,  313  f, 
1127  f,  1392  f,  2137  f ;  ryghte  fully,  1662  f ;  savely,  291  ; 
sikerly,  1930  f ;  shortly,  239,  242,  257;  sothely,  364;  sted- 
fastly,  61  f  ;  sturmely,  1498  f;  symply,  854  f;  trew[e]ly, 
615  f,  1319  f,  1542  f ;  tru[e]ly,  1045  f ;  vnkyndely,  295  f  ; 
vtterly,  296  f ;  verrayly,  1729;  wikkidly,  390  f ;  wisly,  1860. 
Rhyme  words- —  I (y)  (14,  51,  61,  130,  313,  581,  1045,  1127,  1319, 
1392,  1403,  2137),  by  adv.  (1203,  1498),  why  adv.  (679),  adverbs 
in  -ly  (the  rest). 

§  85.     The  following  adverbs  which  have  -e  neither  in  Anglo- 
Saxon  nor  in  H.F.  deserve  notice  : 

amys  (see  Matzner,  p.  74),  269  f,  2079  f  (both:  is  3^.  pr. 
ind.),  596  f  (:  this  pro.),  2016  f  (:  blys  «.)•  — anoon  (A.S. 
on  an),  132,  339,  793,  813,  894,  69  f,  655  f,  790  f  (all:  stoon 
«.),  366  f  (:  agoon  pp.},  952  f  (:  gon  inf.),  etc.  — ful, 
(A.S.  ful),  102,  139,  147,  214,  295,  327,  414,  581,  etc. - 
home  (A.S.  ham),  see  §  18. — nygh  (A.S.  neah,  neh), 


63 

prep.,    1047.  —  streghte  (A.S.  streht,  pp.),  see  §  82.  — wis 
(neut.  adj.  used  as  adv.,  cf.  y-wys),    Also  wis  god  helpe  me, 
576  ;  Nay  wis  quod  she,   1819  ;  Also  wis  god  rede  me,  1067. 
—  y-nogh    (A.S.    genog,    genoh),    1032  f  (:  swoghw.).- 
y-wys,    I-wys    (A.S.    gewis,    adj.    neut.),    326,   982,    809  f, 
827  f,  836  f,  882  f,  1291  f,  1445  f,  1638  f,  1838  f  (all:  is  (y&) 
3  sg-  Pr-  ind.),   1470  f  (Columpnis  pr.   n.),    1514  f,    1565  f 
(both:  ihispro.),  1843!:  (:  ysidis/r.  n.). 
The  following  Romance  words  are  used  adverbially  without 

final  -e  : 

apert(e)  (O.K.  apert),  717  f  (:  overte  adj.  post.  sing.).     Is  -e 

sounded  here?  —  certeyn  (O.K.  certein,  certain),  614,  724, 

1336,  1380,  1691,  1698,  1 88 1,  2002;  certeyne,  336  ;  certeyn, 

929  f  (:  Citezeyn  n.)  ;  certayn(e),  159  f  (:  y-  slayne//.). 

The  following  adjective  formations  in  -les  (A.S.  -leas)  are  used 

adverbially  : 

causeles,  —  That  thou  hast  had  loo  causeles,  668  f  ( :  rechcheles 
adj. )  ;  gilt  [e]  les,  —  Shul  thus  be  shamed  gilt  [e]  les  (adj.  f) , 
1634  f  (:  pres  n.)  ;  thus  was  her  shame  y-ronge  And 
gilt  [e]  les  on  euery  tonge,  1655-6. 

Note  i. — The  adjective  fayn  (A.S.  faeg(e)n  is  used  with  wolde 
with  the  force  of  an  adverb,  —  I  wolde  fayn  han  hadde  a  fame, 
1848. 

Note  2.  —  For  wonder  used  adverbially,   cf.  wonder  sone,   114; 

wonder  low,    1121;    wonder  hye,    1465;    wonder  wide,    1488; 

wonder  fewe,  1691. — The  adjective  famous  is  similarly  used 

in  famous  good,  1780. 

Note  3.  — For  half  used  adverbially  (cf.  A.S.  healfe,  instr.  with 

compar.),  cf.  half  so  high,  914. 
Note  4.  —  The  following  adverbs,  etc. ,  of  various  formation,  are 

for  convenience  put  together  here  : 

ay  (O.N.  ei,  cf.  A.S.  a,  awa),  74,  467,  820,  962,  etc.  —  eft  (A.S. 
eft),  1072,  2038  f(:  left  pp.};  efte,  401. —est  (A.S.  east),  see 
west. — fer  (A.S.  feor(r)  ),  as  fer  as,  483;  ful  ofte  fer,  610  f 
(:  lupiter). — forth  (A.S.  forft),  795;  fortbe,  1018,  1090,  1916; 
forth^,  365;  as  ferforth  as,  328;  as  fer  forth^  as,  1882.  —  nay 
(O.N  nei),  913,  994,  1043,  1819,  2097.  —  noo  (A.S.  na,  no), 
700,  701. — norths  (A.S.  norg),  see  west. — south(e)  (A.S. 
sut5),  see  west. — tho  (A.S.  )>a),  149,  451,  etc.;  thoo,  235  f 
(:  goo  inf.),  319  f  (:  doo  inf.),  433,  496,  571,  etc.  — wel  (A.S. 
wel),  129,  327,  334,  etc.  ;  wel(e),  66  f  (:  euerydele)  ;  wete,  91  ; 
well(e),  1650  f  (:  tuelle  «.)  ;  as  wel  as,  1442,  1739.  —  west 
(A.S.  west),  And  blew  it  est  and  west  and  south(e)  (:  mouthe 
n. )  And  norths,  1680-1  ;  north  and  south(e),  2075  f  (:  inouthe 


64 

«.).  — yet  (A.S.  giet,  gyt ;  also  gieta),  386,  421,  471,  580,  etc.  ; 
yitt(e),  619  f,   1378  f  (both  :  witte  «.). 

86.  Comparison  of  Adverbs  (Child,  §  70  ;  ten  Brink,  §  246, 
andAnm.).     Comparative  degree. 

Of  the  "old"  adverbial  comparatives,  A.S.  cer,  bet,  l&s, 
ma  survive  in  H.F.  Other  adverbial  comparatives  are  adjec- 
tive forms.  (I.)  ferre,  lesse,  more  ;  (II.)  A.S.  comparatives 
in  -or  and  their  analogues. 

bet  (A.S.  bet),  13,  559,  1232,  2138. 

les  (A.S.  Ises),  preserved  in  natheles  (A.S.  na  ]>y  laes),  1181, 
1734,  2073  f  (:  encres  n.). 

mo  (A.S.  ma),  euer  mo,  634,  1403,  1924  ;  euermo,  2074  ;  euer 
moo,  801  f  (:  y-goo  pp.\  2077  f  (:  goo  inf.')  ;  neuer  mo, 
1926. 

I.  ferre  (A.S.  fierre,  fyre,  neut.  comp.),  600  f  (:  sterre  n.). 
less*  (A.S.  Isesse,  neut,  comp.),  neuer  the  less*,  620. 

more  (A.S.  mare,  neut.  comp.*),  *2o,  245,  1125,  1754;  mor* 
and  more,  532  f,  962  f  (both  :  sore  inf.);  more  and  mor*,  818. 

II.  ferther  (A.S.  furSor),  1112,  1651. 
hier  (A.S.  heah(h)or),  perhaps  adj.,  1117. 
lenger  (A.S.  leng),  1912. 

lyghter  (A.S.  leohtor),  1289. 

upper  (A.S.  up(p)or),  884,  961. 

Note.  — For  after,  ajtir  (adv.  and  prep.),  cf.  157,  256,  1040,  etc.  ; 
for  hider,  hyder,  cf.  1872,  1891,  1908;  for  thider,  thidder,  cf. 
724,  837,  1906 ;  for  whider,  cf.  602  ;  for  yonder,  cf.  936,  1064, 
1070  f  ( :  wonder  n. ) ;  yonde,  889  ;  for  vnder  (adv.  and  prep. ),  cf. 
805  f(:  wounder  «.),  964,  1919;  for  er,  or  (A.S.  ter),  cf.  380, 
437,  456,  1055,  etc.;  for  or  .  .  .  or,  cf.  819';  for  eyther  .  .  •  or,  cf. 
4)  833  ;  f°r  other  ...  or,  cf.  1888  ;  for  neyther  .  .  .ne,  cf.  18, 
588 ;  for  whether  .  .  .  or,  cf.  778  ;  for  wher  (=  whether)  .  .  .  or, 
cf.  586,  981. 

87.  No  superlative  adverb  takes  -e  in  H.F.    (but   see   note 
below).      There  are  no  examples  of  best  or  most  preceded 
by  the. 

best,  624,  732,  1878  ;  most,  847  ;  almost  (A.S.  ealmiest, 
selmsest),  1143  J  almost*,  650  ;  first,  151,  606,  811,  850,  1340, 
1898  ;  alderfirste,  1429  ;  alther  first,  1368  ;  erst,  1496,  2075  ; 
alther  fastest,  2131  ;  next,  adv.  and/r*/.,  162,  174,  1486. 

Note. — For  now  at  erste  (512)  we  should  probably  read  at  the 
firste  ;  cf.  P  at  ^e  first,  C  at  thefyrst. 

88.  The   following    particles,    of   various   formation,    appear 
sometimes  or  always  with  an  -e  (cf.  Child,  §  72). 


65 

In  this  list  are  thrown  together,  for  convenience  :     (i.) 
particles  in  A.S.   -an,  -on,  —  aboute,  above,  beforn(e),  before, 
behynde,    bytweene,    sithe    (etc.),    withy 'n,   withouten,   -e ;  cf. 
besyde ;  (ii.)   particle  in  A.S.   -a, — sone ;  (iii.)   inne,   oute, 
thanne,  whan;  (iv.)  blyve,  bothe ;  (v.)  therfore,  wherefore. 
Note.  — It  will  be  observed  from  the  following  examples  that  in 
some  of  these  words  -e  is  not  written  ;  that  in  others  it  is  not 
pronounced  when  written  ;  but  all  of  them  show  -e  somewhere 
in  Chaucer 

aboute  (A.S.  ymbutan,  onbutan),  adv.  and  prep.,  481,  597  f, 
811  f,  1196  f,  1824  f,  1868,  2006  f,  2120  f ;  aboutfe],  1807  f, 
1925  ;  aboute,  799,  1397,  1526  ;  about  (+  vowel),  1702. 

Rhyme  words. — doute  n.   (597,  811,   2006),  route  n.   (1824,  2120), 

with  oute  adv.  (1196),  shout  inf.  (1807). 
above  (A.S.  onbufan),  adv.  and  prep.,  1758  f  (love  n.),  above, 

805,  1360. 

blyve  (A.S.  bi  life),  1106  f  (:  descry ve  inf.),  1521  f  (:  hive  n.). 
bothe  .  .  .  and  (O.N.  baSir,  pro.,  cf.  A.S.  ba,  ba-twa),  —Bothe 
armes  and  the  name,  1411  ;  Both[e]  castel  and  the  toure, 
1185  ;  Til  both[e]  the  eyre  and  erthe  brende,  954  ;  Both*?  of 
feire  speche  and  chidynges,  1028  ;  And  with  this  worde  both 
he  and  y,  1046  ;  Both  of  wepinge  and  of  game,  1199  ;  but 
Both  sothe  sawes  and  leysinges,  676. 

These  seem  the  more  likely  readings  for  the  several  verses 
cited,  though  some  of  them  may  have  other  renderings,  as 
will  be  seen.  In  1185  B  CT  show  Bothe,  P  inserts  the  ;  in 
954  P  C  T  omit  the,  C  T  writing  Bothe. 

beforn(e)  (A.S.  beforan),  me  beforn(e),  60  f  (:  borne  pp.). 
before,  839,  1468. 

behynde  (A.S.  behindan),  adv.  and  prep.,  238  f  (:  fynde  inf.), 
1214  f  (:  kyndew.),  2150  ;  behynde,  977.     In  2150  FB  have 
behynde  by  reading  begunne  for  gunne. 
besyde  (A.S.  be  sidan),  prep.,  73,  440,  2105. 
bytweene  (A.S.  betweonan),  prep.,  2028  (FBP  lack  the  line). 
in  (A.S.  inne),  prep.,  30,  70,  80,  85,  86,  121,  and  passim. 
therinne  (A.S.  paer-inne),  2003  f  (:  gynne  inf.). 
oute  (A.S.  ute,  ut,  ut  of),  476,  480  ;  oute  of ,  204,  1917  ;  out 

of,  598,  812,  1456  ;  ther  out  come,  1927. 

sone  (A.S.  sona),   114  f,  1532  f,  1538  f,  1773  f,  2116  f ;  son^, 
288.  — efte-sones,  359. 

Rhyme  words. — doneger.  inf.    (114),  mone  luna   (1532,   2116), 

bone  n.  (1538,  1773). 

syth,    sith,    sithe,   syn   (A.S.    sio^am,    srSSan).     I.  In'"causal 
sense  :  syth,   218,   1855  ;  syth  that,   2016  ;  sithe  that,  2007  ; 


66 

syn  that,  835.     II.   Temporal  :  syth,   100,   1340  ;  sith  that 
59,  1898. 

thanne,  than,  then  (A.S.  J?onne),  temporal  and  illative  :  thanne, 
368  f  (:  Anne)  ;  than  (then),  before  vowels  and  consonants, 
482,  848,  985,  1019,  1228,  1907,  2050,  etc. 
than  =  quant  (A.S.  fonne,  J>on),  before  vowels  and  consonants, 

20,  977,  1289,  1290,  1371,  1638,  etc. 

whan,  when  (A.S.  hwonne),  before  vowels  and  consonants,  112, 
266,  364,  372,  393,  468,  480,  673,  774,  777,  976,  1036,  1041, 
1 1 10,  1285,  etc.  ;  when  that,  232. 

therfore,  therfor  (A.S.  J>sere  +  fore)  :  ther-fore,  276  ;  therfore, 

661  ;  therfore,  289,  990,  1355,  2001  ;  therfor  (+  cons.},  1443. 

—  wherfore,   268;  where  fore,    1835;   wherfore,    629,   641; 

wherfor  (  +  cons.},  1846. 

withyn  (A.S.  wiS-innan),  prep.  :  before  vowels,  120,  415  ;  before 

h,  542. 
withouten,  with-outen,  wythouten  (A.S.  wr5-utan),  484,  830, 

855,  1187,  1448,  1464,  1764,  1913. 
withoute,  292,  690  ;  with  oute,  1195  f  (:  aboute  adv.}. 

Note  i. — The  -e  which  is  twice  written  in  doun,  adoun  (A.S. 
of-dune,  adune  ;  adunweard)  is  unsounded  :  doun,  741  f  (:  sovne 
*0i  947  f  (:  Scorpioun  pr.  n.},  1026  f  (:  soun  n. ) ;  dovne,  164; 
adon,  896  ;  adoun,  2033  f  (:  congregacioun  n. )  ;  adovn(e],  888 f 
(:  tovne  «.). 

89.  To  the  list  in  §  88  may  be  appended  :  I.  awey\e\, 
betwexen,  eke,  ofte;  II.  here,  there,  where,  and  their  varieties, 
—  particles  in  which  the  form  of  the  termination  has  been 
influenced  by  various  analogies  (cf.  Child,  §  72,  b}. 

a-wey[e]  (A.S.  onweg,  aweg),  Yif  hyt  a-wey[e]  be  ther  froo, 
838  ;  but  -e  is  nowhere  written.  —  awey,  317  f  (:  wek-away) , 
736,  1149,  1150;  a-way,  418;  away,  1145. 

betwexen  (A.S.  betwix,  betweox,  betwuxt),  715  ;  betwex 
hem,  1476. 

eke  (A.S.  eac,  cf.  to  eacan),  624  f  (:  seke  3  pi.  pr.  ind.}  ; 
1401  f  (:  meke  pred.  adj.pl.*}  ;  and  except  that  it  seems  so 
well  agreed  on  that  eke  is  never  dissyllabic  within  the  verse, 
one  would  be  inclined  to  sound  -e  in  this  line  :  And  eke  ther 
with  sothe  to  telle,  1804.  Cf.  also  :  And  eke  moo  holdynge 
in  hondes,  692.  In  the  latter  verse,  however,  Willert  is 
almost  certainly  correct  in  writing  holdynges  in  honde. —  eke, 
179,  212,  249,  444,  570,  846,  919,  1015,  etc.  ;  ek^,  193,  194, 
343,  445,  752,  986,  etc.  ;  ek(e),  1707  f  (:  leke  n.}. 

ofte  (A.S.  oft),  610  ;  ofte,  632  ;  ofte,  385  ;  oft  -f  vowel},  1287. 


67 

here  (A.S.  her),  980  f  (:  were  n.),  1014  f  (:  matere  «.),  1912  f 
(:  here  inf.)  ;  here,  324,  1015,  1883  ;  her(e),  1444  f  (:  pilere 
n.)  ;  her  (H-  cons.),  1023  ;  her  (+  -vowel),  1061  ;  her  on 
1135  ;  here  with  alle,  567.  In  one  case  it  seems  likely  that 
we  have  here  within  the  verse  :  Be  god  I  wolde  hyt  here 
write,  382. 

there  (A.S.  J>ser,  )>er),  1250  f  (:  were 3 pi.  pt.  ind.)  ;  there,  74, 
1251  ;  ther,  193,  198,  209,  212,  219,  237,  253,  308,  443,  etc.  ; 
ther  as,  113,  844  ;  ther  aboute,  597  ;  ther-fore,  276  ;  therfore, 
289,  990,  1355,  2001  ;  ther  fro,  736  f,  838  f,  895  f  ;  therof, 
101,  1043,  T473  J  theron,  1998  ;  ther  out,  1927  ;  ther  to 
(too),  371  f,  718,  998  f,  1650  ;  therwith,  582,  1804  ;  ther 
with  alle,  2031  ;  ther  (  =  where),  731,  2143,  etc. 

where  (A.S.  hwser,  hwer),  233  f  (:  werej//.  pt.  ind.)\  where 
711,  2025  ;  where,  475,  479,  1584;  where  that,  1902  ;  wher 
that,  129,  890,  1010 ;  wherfore,  268;  wherfor<?,  629,  641; 
wherfor,  1846  ;  owghwher^,  478  ;  nowhere,  1602. 

Note.  —  The  rhyme-words  for  here  are  different  from  those  of 
there  and  where. 

90.  Ever  (A.S.  sefre)  is  in  H.F.  uniformly  dissyllabic  before 
consonants.  It  does  not  occur  before  vowels,  but  in  the  two 
instances  before  weak  h  it  is  monosyllabic.  The  invariable 
spelling  is  euer. 

I.  Before  consonants:  619,  634,  698,  1147,  1403,    1806,    1897, 
1924,  2130. 

II.  Before  he,  hit :  On  alle  that  euer  he  myght  [e]  swere,  422  ; 
Than  euer  hit  was  and  went  anoon,    2083  ;  but  Alias  that 
euer  had [de]  routhe,  332. 

Never  (A.S.  nsefre)  before  consonants  is  with  two  excep- 
tions dissyllabic  ;  in  the  single  example  before  a  vowel  it  is 
monosyllabic.  The  spelling  is  uniformly  neuer. 

I.  Before  consonants  :     15,  59,  327,  471,  534,  566,  628,  *984, 

1296,  1366,  1380,  1740,  1926,  1956.  2004,  2037,  2100,  2148. 

Cf.  also, —  That  neuer  herd  I  thing  so  hye,  1020.  This  is  the 
only  instance  before  h.  —  In  the  two  following  verses  neuer 
is  monosyllabic  :  And  neuer  the  lesse  hast  set  thy  witte,  620  ; 
And  bere  hit  neuer  so  hye  on  hight,  740. 

II.  Before  vowel :    In  speche  and  neuer  a  dele  of  trouthe,  331. 
For  euer  and  neuer  in  rhyme,  see  the  following  verses  : 

Of  olde  (/.  golde)  werke  than  I  sawgh  euer 
ffor  certeynly  I  nyste  neuer,  127-8  ; 
Eke  though  I  myght  [e]  dure  euer 
That  I  haue  do  rekeuer  I  neuer,  353-4. 


68 

Note.  — Two  verses  in  which  neuer  seems  monosyllabic  before  a 
consonant  are  easily  emended  by  comparison  of  MSS.  :  Hyt 
was  nyste  I  neuer  redely,  1127  ;  Deserue  why  ne  neuer  ye 
roughte,  1781.  In  the  first  of  these  P  CT  properly  omit  neuer  ; 
and  in  the  latter  the  same  authorities  lack  ye. 

\  91.     Particles  ending  in  -es,  -s  (Child,  §  73).     This  is  some- 
times an  A.S.  -es,  sometimes  a  formation  by  analogy. 

Here  also  are  included  particles  which  do  not  in  H.F. 
show  a  form  in  -es,  but  do  have  it  elsewhere  in  Chaucer, 
(i.)  &gtyn(e)  (etc.),  amyddys  (etc.),  elles,  nedes,  towardcs, 
vnnethes ;  (ii.)  hennes,  thens;  (iii.)  ones  (nones} ,  twyes  ; 
(iv. )  alday,  alwey,  eny  weyes,  other  weyes,  amonges  (amonge), 
end[e]long(e),  to-geder ;  (v.)  algate,  certes. 
ageyn(e)  (A.S.  ongsegnes,  ongaegn),  adv.,  564  f  (:  seyne  inf.); 

a-yen<?,  544;  ay  en, /*?/.,  1035,  1523. 
alday  (A.S.  ealne  daeg,  adverbial  ace.) ,  737  ;  al  day,  386. 
algat<?  (cf.  O.N.  alia  gotu,  adverbial  ace.) ,  943. 
alwey  (A.S.  ealne  weg,  adverbial  ace.),  76,  466,  744  ;  alway,  961. 
amonges  (A.S.  ongemang,  onmang),  1633. 
amyddys   (cf.   A.S.    on   middan),   845;    in   iniddes   of,    714; 

in  mid  the  way,  923. 

certes  (O.K.  certes),  1684,  1693,  1697  ;  certys,  1986,  2038. 
elles  (A.S.  elles),  60,  234,  304,  646,  763,  908,  1039,  1741, 
1940,  2046  ;  ellis,  23,  27,  33,  425  f  (:  tellis  j  sg.  pr.  ind.). 
In  one  case  elles  seems  to  be  a  monosyllable  :  Elles  I  wold  [e] 
the  haue  tolde,  996  ;  in  the  only  other  example  before  a  vowel 
(623)  it  is  dissyllabic. 

end[e]  long(e)  (A.S.  andlang),  1458  f  (:  stronge/^/.  adj.  sg.). 
hennes    (A.S.    heonon,    I,.   W.  S.    heonone),    1284  ;    hennes- 

forth^,  782. 

nedes  (A.S.  nedes,  niedes),  1635.     For  nede,  cf.  §  82. 
nones,  see  ones,  below. 

ones  (A.S.  senes,  Chron.  1120;  anes,  Chron.  1131),  940,  1742  ; 
attones,  863  ;  at  ones,  2088  f  (:  for  the  nones),   2105.  —  for 
the  nones,  2087  f  (:  at  ones)  ;  wyth  the  nones,  2099. 
thens  (A.S.  |?anon),  1038. 
to-geder  (A.S.  aet-gaedre,  to-gsedre),  2109. 
towardes  (A.S.  toweard),  196.     Cf.  dounwarde,  ^746  ;  northe- 
warde,    1152;  thiderwarde,   2144;  vpward^,   744  ;  vpwarde, 
825  ;  vpward,  925. 

twyes  (A.S.  twiwa,  twiges,  Chron.  1120),  573. 
vnnethes  (A.S.  unease),  900,  1140.     Cf.  vnnethe,  §  82. 
weyes,  — Shal  I  noon  other  weyes  dye,  585  ;  Yf  I  koude  eny 
weyes  know,  1122. 


69 


VERBS. 

§  92.  Present  Indicative1. — The  First  Person  Singular  of  the 
Present  Indicative  ends  regularly  in  -e  (Child,  §  48  ;  ten 
Brink,  §  184). 

I.  In  rhyme  : 

duelle,  2001  f  (:  telle  i  sg.pr.  ind.)  \  fynde,  750  f  (:  kynde  n.)\ 
hote,  1719  f  (:  note  n.)  ;  here,  1058  f  (:  lere  inf.}  ;  pace, 
J355  f  0  place  n.)  ;  preve,  826  f  (:  meve  inf.)  ;  rede,  77  f 
(:  spede  inf.),  1493  f  (:  brede  ».),  1935  f  (:  rede  adj.  post, 
pi.)  ;  seye,  673  f  (:  leye  inf.)  ;  stonde,  1878  f  (:  honde  n.)  ; 
telle,  844  f  (:  duelle  inf.),  2002  f  (:  duelle  i  sg.  pr.  ind.)  ; 
thinke,  15  f  (:  swinke  inf.)  ;  trowe,  1335  f  (:  I-knowe  inf.)  ; 
varye,  808  f  (:  contrarye  n.) 

II.  Before  consonants. 

gynne,  1455  ;  graunte,  1665,  1763  ;  graunte  yow,  1700  ;  stonde 
here  (hie),  1885  I  trowe,  61,  1930. 

III.  This  -e  is  regularly  elided  before  a  vowel  : 

a-legg*,  314  ;  lev*,  1012  ;  men*,  1895  ;  pray  I,  97  ;  prey  I,  78  ; 
pray  alway,  466  ;  sey  I,  286,  742  ;  stynt*,  1417. 

IV.  Elision  before  h  : 

graunte  hyt,  1838  ;  prew  hyt,  787. 

Note  i.  — There  is  no  certain  case  of  apocope  of  -e.  The  most 
likely  example  is  :  But  thus  I  sey  yow  trewly,  1542.  The 
verse  as  it  stands  lacks  a  syllable,  which  may  be  had  by  writing 
either  ^y[r?]  or  trew\e]ly,  the  latter  is  perhaps  better.  One 
other  verse  is  easily  emended  by  comparison  of  MvSS.  :  I  werne 
yow  hit  quod  she  anon,  1559.  Here  PC  omit  hit,  T  shifting 
the  position  of  hit  and  yow. 
Note  2.  —  For  the  monosyllabic  see  (se),  cf.  see  /,  334 ;  see,  1107  f 

(:  tree  ».) ;  se,  1910  f  (:  me  pro.}. 

§  93.     The   Second  Person  Singular  of   the  Present  Indicative 
ends  in  -est  (-ist),  -st  (-est)  (Child,  §  49  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  184, 
186,  259). 
I.     -est  (-ist)  : 

demest,  596;  desirest,  1911;  devisest,  637  f  (:  dispisest)  ; 
dispisest,  638  f  (:  devisest)  ;  enditest,  634  f  (:  writest); 

1  It  is  hardly  safe  to  claim  absolute  accuracy  for  the  following  sections  in 
which  a  distinction  between  indicative  and  subjunctive  is  aimed  at ; 
the  errors,  however,  can  certainly  not  be  numerous  enough  to  affect  the 
general  results. 


yo 

fairest,  887  ;  herist,  651  ;  knowest,  890  ;  lyvest,  659  ;  peynest, 
627  ;  redest,  1001  ;  sittest,  657  ;  suffrest,  2013  ;  werest,  1840  ; 
writest,  633  f  (:  enditest). 
II.     -st  -est 

seyst  (vides),  911  ;  seyst  (diets'),  1839  ;  herestow,   1031,   1862. 
Note. — The  ending  -es  occurs  once:     That    thou    now    hider 
bringes,  1908  f  (:  tydynges). 

94.  The  Third  Person  Singular  of  the  Present  Indicative  ends 
usually  in  -eth  (-UK],  -th   (-eth)   (Child,  §  50;    ten  Brink, 
§§  184,  186). 

I.  -eth  (-UK)  : 

beloweth,  1803  ;  causeth,  3,  815  ;  considereth,  642  ;  countre- 
feteth,  1213  ;  duelleth,  70,  711  f  (:  tellith)  ;  falleth,  741  ; 
fareth,  271  f  (:  glareth);  folweth,  5  ;  glareth,  272  f  (ifareth)  ; 
knoweth,  13,  290;  longeth,  244,  1200;  maketh,  1065,  IT75; 
moveth,  735,  8n,  837,  851  ;  moueth,  841  ;  rumbleth,  1026  ; 
seketh,  756  ;  seweth,  840 ;  sheweth,  830 ;  slepeth,  74 ; 
stereth,  817  f  (:  vpbereth)  ;  sufficeth,  1762,  1876;  telleth, 
406  ;  tellith,  712  f  (:  duelleth)  ;  vpbereth,  818  f  (:  stereth)  ; 
vseth,  562  ;  warneth,  46  ;  wexeth,  1076  ;  whirleth,  2006  ; 
willeth,  447. 

II.  -th,  -eth. 

(a)  Verbs  ending  in  a  vowel : 

astonyeth  (slur),  1174;  seyth,  307,  429,  807.  These  are  the 
only  verbs  with  vowel-ending  in  the  third  person. 

(b)  Verbs  ending  in  a  consonant  : 

avayleth,  363  ;  breketh,  780;  cometh,  71,  648,  721,  773,  882, 
1061,  1071;  speketh,  1244;  thenketh  (videtur),  871.  But 
s[p]eketh,  931  ;  thinketh  (videtur},  684;  to-breketh,  779  f 
(:  men  speketh). 

Note.  —  There  is  a  single  example  of  -is  :    In  certeyne  [as]  the 
booke  [vs]  tellis,  426  f  (:  ellis) ;  as  and  vs  supplied  from  PCT. 

95.  The  following  examples  of  the  Third  Person  Singular  in 
-t  from  verbs  in  -/,  -d  occur  in  H.F.  (Child,  §  51  ;  ten  Brink, 
§  186)  : 

grynt,  1798  ;  halt,  630  ;  list,  1577  ;  lyst,  640,  844,  1564,  1821, 
1982  ;  lest(e),  1665  f  (:  wiste  pp.)  ;  stant,  713,  719,  1117  ; 
stert,  681  ;  writ,  973,  1385. — Biit  nedeth,  575,  1072,  1299. 

96.  The  Plural  of  the  Present  Indicative  ends  regularly  in 
-en  or  -e  ;  but  forms  in  -eth  occur  (cf.  Child,  §  52  ;  ten  Brink, 
§  1 86).     Before   consonants  -en  is   commoner  than  -e  ;  the 
reverse  is  true  in  rhyme. 


I.  -en  before  consonants  :   (a)  First  Person  ,  besechen,   1554  ; 
(£)    Second  Person,    knowen    ye,    1257  ;    ye    (/#)    knowen 
(kn6wen?),    327;  (f)     Third  Person,    callen,    609;    crien, 
1322  ;    kepen,    1226  ;  maken,  1239  ;  semen,    1402  ;  shynen, 
1376;  tellen,  1198;  wilnen,  1312. 

II.  -en  in  rhyme  :     Third  Person,  dreden,  38  f  (:  ledenj/>/. 
pr.  ind.~)  ;  duellen,  1060  f  (:  tellen  inf.}  ;  leden,  37  f  (:  dreden 


III.  -en  before  vowels  :     Third  Person,  hopen,   38  ;  maken, 

1939- 

IV.  en  before  h  :  (a)  First  Person,  kepen  haue,   1695  :  (£) 
Third  Person,  kallen  hyt,  939;  shynen  here   (hie),  1015. 

V.  -en,  -n  :     Third  Person,  clepen  a,  1326  ;  reden  in,   1352  ; 
seyn,  1147  ;  sayn(e),   23  f  (:  brayne  n.}.     But  seyn  is  the 
only  genuine  case  of  syncope  ;  both  clepen  and  reden  show 
variants  in  elided  -e. 

VI.  -e  before  consonants  :   (a)  Second  Person,  wene  ye,  1714  ; 
(£)    Third  Person,  calle  founder,  535. 

VII.  -e  before  vowel  :     Third  Person,  That  duelle  almoste  at 
thy  dors,  650.      [Var.    B  dwell,  P  dwelleth,  C  T  dwellen]  . 

VIII.  -e  in  rhyme  :   (a)  Second  Person,  duelle,  521  f  (:  welle 
n.}  ;   (£)    Third  Person,    fynde,    44   f  (:   kynde  n.)  ;  rede, 
590  f  (:    Ganymede)  ;  seke,    626   f  (:   eke)  ;  smyte   777    f 
(:  lyte  adv.)  ;  stonde,   1010  f  (:  honde  n.)  ;  thwite,  1938  f 
(  :  white  pred.  adj.  pi.  )  . 

IX.  -e  elided  before  vowels  :  (a)  Second  Person,  gete,  1560  ; 
(U)    Third  Person,    duello,    1531;    falte,    1192;    sek^,    744; 
trete,  54;  vse,  1263  ;  write,  1013. 

Note.  —  The  verb  pray  shows  no  ending,  but  -e  or  -en  is  to  be 
supplied  :  That  natheles  yet  prey[e]  we,  1734  ;  Where  fore  we 
pray[en]  yow  a  rowe,  1835.  In  the  first  verse  P  shows  prey  en, 
and  in  the  second  reads  on  a  rowe. 

§97.  The  following  examples  of  the  Plural  of  the  Present 
Indicative  in  -eth  occur  : 

causeth,  35,  40  ;  men  clepeth,  73  ;  seyth  the  peple,  360  ;  men 
speketh,  780  f  (:  to-breketh  3  sg.  pr.  ind.}.  But  causeth 
occurs  in  a  confused  passage  and  may  be  intended  as  singular. 

§  98.     The  Plural  in  -es  does  not  occur  in  H.F. 

§  99.  The  following  Indicative  Preterites  (first  and  third  per- 
sons) of  Anglo-Saxon  verbs  of  the  First  Weak  Conjugation 
occur  in  H.F.  (cf.  Child,  §  53  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  162,  165, 
168-170. 


72 

(a)  Stems  originally  short,  — leyde,  sette,  shette  ;  (b)  stems 
originally  long,  — agylte,  bilt,  denied,  dreynt\e\,  felte,  ferde, 
hente,  herde,  lefte,  mette  (A.S.  msette),  mette  (A.S.  mette), 
reigh t[e\,  semed,  stent\e\,  wente,  werned ;  (V)  irregular 
verbs, — broghte,  duelled,  soughte,  streight\e\,  thoughte  (A.S. 
]>6hte),  thoughte  (A.S.  Jmhte),  tolde. 

Of  these  demed,  semed,  werned  are  unsyncopated  preterites 
formed  on  the  analogy  of  the  Second  Weak  Conjugation, 
and  replacing  the  proper  Anglo-Saxon  forms  demde,  semde, 
wyrnde.  Duelled  corresponds  to  A.S.  dwelede  {-ode},  inf. 
dwelian  (Sievers,  §  407,  Anm  i). 

In  bilt,  felte,  lefte,  wente,  A.S.  -de  is  replaced  by  -te  (cf.  ten 
Brink,  §  170  e,  £).  Brennen  (O.N.  brenna,  A.S  b&man) 
has  only  brende ;  see  §  100  (cf.  ten  Brink,  §  179,  £). 

Syncopated  preterites,  after  the  analogy  of  the  first  weak 
conjugation,  are  shown  by  several  verbs  strong  in  Anglo- 
Saxon  :  brayde,  fled,  highte,  lost  (also  les),  slept  (also  slep(e)  ); 
see  §  103.  So  also  dyede  (O.N.  deyja,  pret.  do).  For  smelde, 
see  §  TOO. 

Several  preterites  of  weak  verbs  belonging  properly  to  the 
second  conjugation  show  syncopated  forms  after  the  analogy 
of  the  first  ;  see  §  101. 

agylte  (A.S.  agyltan,  agylte),  agylte  yow,  329. 

bilt  (A.S.  byldan,  bylde),  bilt  ||  god,  1135. 

broghte  (A.S.  bringan,  brohte),  2029  f  (:  me  thoughte). 

demed  (A.S.  deman,  demde),  263  f  (:  semed  j  sg.  pt.  ind.). 

dreynt[e]  (A.S.  drencan,  drencte),  923  f  (:  compleynt  7^.). 

duelled  (A.S.  dwelian,  dwelede,  dwelode,  Sievers,  §  407, 
Anm.  i),  duelled  er  no  we,  1902. 

felte  (A.S.  felan,  felde),  felt<?  eke,  570  ;  felt  that,  569. 

ferde  (A.S.  feran,  ferde),  1932  f  (:  herde  /  sg.  pt.  ind.}  ;  ferd 
as,  1522. 

hente  (A.S.  hentan,  hente),  543  f  (:  went  j  sg.  pt.  ind.)  ; 
hente  me,  2028.  CT  alone  show  the  latter  verse,  and  T 
omits  -e.  We  should  possibly  read  hente. 

herde  (A.S.  hieran,  hierde),  herde  there,  2057  :  herd*?,  1062, 
*2053,  2141  ;  herd  (+  vowel},  1020,  1201,  1243,  1245,  1313, 
1397,  1404. 

lefte  (A.S.  laefan,  Isefde),  left[e]  not,  1600  ;  left*  hir,  295,  416; 
left  hir,  403. 

leyd<?  (A.S.  lecgan,  legde,  lede),  260. 

mette  (A.S.  maetan,  msette),  523  f  (:  shette  j  sg.  pt.  i?zd.}  ; 
mette,  313,  517;  mett<?,  61,  119,  560;  met  or,  no. 

mette  (A.S.  metan,  mette),  2069  f  (:  lette  j  sg.  pt.  sub/.}  ; 
mette  I,  1308. 


73 

reight[e]  (A.S.  rsecan,  rsehte),  1374  f  (.  straight  j  sg. 
pt.  ind.). 

shette  (A.S.  scyttan,  scytte),  524  f  (:  mette  j  sg.  pt.  ind.). 

semed  (A.S.  ge-seman,  ge-semde),  264  f  (:  demed  j  sg.  pt. 
ind.)  ;  before  consonants,  500,  1525,  2157. 

sette  (A.S.  settan,  sette),  sette  me,  1050  ;  set  I,  1858  ;  set  in, 
2033  ;  set  hyt,  1679. 

sought*?  (A.S.  secan,  sohte),  185. 

stent[e]    (A.S.    for-styntan,    ge-stentan,    *-stynte,    *-stente), 
221  f,  1926  f,  2031  f  ;  stynt[e],  1683  f. 
Rhyme  word.  — went^.  sg. 

streight[e]  (A.S.  strecc(e)an,  streahte),  1373  f  (:  reight  j  sg. 
pt.  ind.). 

thoughts  (A.S.  ]>enc(e)an,  J>6hte),  595;  thought  I  (y),  492, 
584,  972,  985,  1631,  1852. 

thoughte  (A.S.  }>ync(e)an,  Jmhte),  1183,  1870;  thought[e], 
1369  :  thoghte,  2030  f  (:  broghte  3  sg.  pt.  ind.)  ;  thoughte 
hit,  2031  ;  thought  I,  499. 

tolde  (A.S.  tellan,  tealde),  1380  f  (:  beholde  inf.'),  1434  f 
(:  olde  adj.  def.  post.');  tolde  Dido,  254;  told*?  alle,  2046; 
tolde  hym,  2050  ;  told  him,  2071. 

wentfe]  (A.S.  wendan,  wende),  222  f,  544  f,  1684  f,  1925  f, 
2032  f,  2131  f ;  wente  anoon,  1366  ;  went  (+  vowel),  1307, 
1807,  2076,  2083.  In  the  only  two  examples  before  a  conso- 
nant -e  is  lacking  ;  we  should  probably  read  the  verses  thus  : 
Went  this  foule  trumpes  soun,  1642 ;  That  thrugh  the 
worlde  went[e]  the  soun,  1724. 

Rhyme  words.  — stent  3  sg.  pt.  ind.   (222,  1925,  2032),  stynt  j  sg. 
pt.  ind.  (1684),  hente  j  sg.  pt.  ind.  (544),  enteut  n.  (2131). 

werned  (A.S.  wyrnan,  wyrnde  ;  probably  influenced  by  wearnian, 

wearnode),  werned  wel  and  faire,  1539. 

§  loo.  A  few  Indicative  Preterites  (first  and  third  persons)  of 
Old  Norse  verbs  of  the  First  weak  Conjugation  occur  in 
H.F.  To  these  add  smelde,  which  is  not  found  in  Anglo- 
Saxon  or  Old  Norse,  but  is  probably  of  Germanic  origin. 

brende  (O.N.  brenna,  brenda  ;  cf.  ten  Brink,  §  141).  intrans., 
163  f,  537  f  (both  :  descende  inf.)  ;  trans.,  brende  the,  1844. 

smelde,  1685  f  (:  helde  j pi.  pt.  subj.). 

stert[e]  (O.N.  sterta,  sterta),  1800  f  (:  hert  «.)• 
§  101.     The  following  Indicative  Preterites  (first  and  third  per- 
sons) of  Anglo-Saxon  verbs  of  the  Second  Weak  Conjuga- 
tion occur  in  H.F.  (cf.  Child,  §  53  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  172-3)  : 


74 

answered,  called,  gladded,  louede,  made,  reft,  rovned,  wondred. 

To   these  add   caste  (Old   Norse   second   conjugation)   and 

romed,  —  Germanic  in  origin  but  not  found  in  Anglo-Saxon, 
answered  (A.S.  andswarian,  andswarode),  answered  noo,  1896  ; 

answered  and,  864. 
called    (A.S.    ceallian,    ceallode,    from   O.N.    kalla,    kallafta), 

called  on,  367  ;  called  me  558. 
caste  (O.N.  kasta,  kastaSa),  495  f  (:  at  the  laste)  ;  cast[e], 

956  f  (:  atte  laste). 

gladded  (A.S.  gladian,  gladode),  gladded  me,  962. 
louede  (A.S.  lufian,  lufode),  176  ;  loued  (+  vowel),  288,  370. 
made  (A.S.   macian,   macode),   646  f,    1159  f,  1890  f;  mad^, 

240,  257  ;  mad*?  hym,  404,  413  ;  mad^  hir,  414  ;  made  the, 

155  ;  made  welmore,  1290. 

Rhyme  words. — gladeadj.pl.  (646,  1890),  shade  n.  (1159). 
reft  (A.S.  reafian,  reafode),  reft  his,  457. 
romed  vp,  140. 

rovned  (A.S.  runian,  runode),  rovned  in,  ^2044. 
wondred  (A.S.  wundrian,  wundrode),  wondred  me,  1988. 

102.  The  following  Indicative  Preterites  (first  and  third  per- 
sons) of  Anglo-Saxon  verbs  of  the  Third  Weak  Conjuga- 
tion  occur   in   H.F., — hadde,   seyde   (cf.    Child,  §  53;  ten 
Brink,  §  162). 

had[de]  (A.S.  habban,  hsefde),  332,  1381  ;  had  doo,  395  ;  had 
seen,  468  ;  had  herde,  2060  ;  hadd^  I,  2042  ;  had  (+  vowel), 
412,  421,  452,  456,  501,  1285,  1325,  1389. 

seyde  (A.S.  secgan,  ssegde,  ssede),  191  f  (:  preyde  j  sg.  pt. 
ind.),  1376  f  (dyede  j  sg.  pt.  ind.),  1677  f  (:  brayde  j  sg. 
pt.  ind.}  ;  seyde,  369,  595,  864,  885,  911,  1051,  1871,  1891, 
1993,  2047  ;  sayede,  573  ;  seyd<?,  556,  641,  980  ;  seyd^  he,  187. 

103.  Several  verbs  that  are  strong  in  Anglo-Saxon  show  weak 
preterites  in  H.F.   (cf.   Child,  §  54,    a  ;  ten  Brink,  §  167). 
With  these  include  dyede,  O.N. 

brayde  (A.S.  bregdan,  braegd,  bn£d),  1678  f  (:  seyde j  sg.pt. 

ind.)  ;  see  abreyd^e),  §  108. 
dyede  (O.N.  deyja,  do),  375  f  (:  seyde  j  sg.  pt.  ind.)  ;  dyde, 

380  f  (:  Ouyde  pr.  n.)  ;    dide,   106  f  (:  lyde  pr.  n.)  ;  dyed 

thorgh,  374. 

fled  (A.S.  fleon,  fleah),  fled  and,  166. 
highte  (A.S.  hatan,  heht,  het ;  cf.  ten  Brink,  §  135),  vocatus 

est :  highte  stace,  1460;  hight  Triton,  1596  ;  vocatur  :  highte 

I,aude,    1673;    hight[e]    Pheton,   942;  hight  [e]    sklaundre, 


75 

1580;  hightthe,  663  ;  vocatus  :  highte  Achate,  226. —  het(e), 
vocatus  est  :    And  eke  the  man  that  Triton  het(e),  1604  f 
(:  feterc.). 
lost   (A.S.    forleosan,    forleas),    lost  hys,   436,   950;  lost  her 

1229  ;  cf.  lest  §  1 08. 

slept  (A.S.  slaepan,  slep,  North,  slepte),  slept  ||  me,  119;  cf. 
slep(e),  §  108. 

§  104.  One  Romance  verb  shows  a  syncopated  preterite  after 
the  analogy  of  the  First  Weak  Conjugation  (cf.  Child,  §  53  ; 
ten  Brink,  §§  180,  182). 

preyde,  192  f  (:  seyde  j  sg.  pt.  ind.}  ;  but  see  prayed  her 
(pfar.}  1815. 

§  105.  Most  verbs  of  Romance  derivation  make  their  preterites 
singular  in  -ed,  without  syncopation  (cf.  Child,  §  53  ;  ten 
Brink,  §  179). 

acheved  alle,  463  ;  aspied  I,  1128  ;  aspyed  y,  1320  ;  betrayed 
hir,  294  ;  betrayed  Adriane,  407  ;  counseylled  hir,  371  ;  cried 
what,  2147  ;  desired  no-thinge,  425  ;  graunted  sone,  1538  ; 
graunted  the,  1540  ;  mused  longe,  1287  >  pressed  hem,  1590  ; 
sowneth  (error  for  sowned),  1202  ;  trayied  Phillis,  390 ; 
touched  heuene,  1375. 

§  106.     The  Indicative  Second  Person  Singular  of  Weak  Pre- 
terites ends  in  -est  (cf.  Child,  §  53,  c;  ten  Brink,  §  194). 
didest    thou,     1846 ;  haddest    neuer,    628 ;  madest    vs,    470  ; 
madeste  kynde,  584. 

§  107.  The  Second  Person  Singular  of  the  Indicative  Preterite 
of  Strong  Verbs  has  not  been  observed  in  H.F. 

§  1 08.  In  the  First  and  Third  Persons  Singular  of  the  Indica- 
tive Preterite  of  Strong  Verbs  a  final  -e  is  written  quite  com- 
monly, but  it  is  never  pronounced. 

abod(e),  1602  f  (:  brode  post.  adj.  sg.}. — abreyd(e),  no  f 
(:  seyde//.). — bad,  165,  186,  236,  430. — bare,  169,  1018, 
1435,  1461,  1490,  1510;  bare,  172,  594.  —  be-cam^,  243.- 
began,  149,  435  f  (:  steris-man  rc.),  1340,  1652  f  (:  ran  3  sg. 
pt.  ind.}. — beheld,  1520;  behelde,  897,  965;  beheld(e), 
481  f,  539  f  (both:  felde  n.). — blew,  1680,  2120;  blewe, 
1599  —  bond^,  1590. — cam,  1874;  came,  145,  564;  cam(e) 
480 f  (:  2x0.1  sg.pr.  met.),  969  f(:  adame/r.  ^.);  come,  1690, 
1771,  1927,  2061  ;  com^,  1606;  com(e),  1906  f  (dome  ».). 
—  clombe,  1118.  — clywe,  1702.  — fel,  1772  ;  ful,  922  ;  filk, 
114.  — Fleegh,  921.  — fond(e),  1293  f  (:  honde  ».)  ;  fonde, 


76 

141,  443»  1286;  fondi,  1166,  1415;  founde,  1129,  1584.— 
forswore,  389. —  gan,  164,  190,  231,  235,  299,  311,  368,  392, 
420,  etc.,  etc.  ;  gunn<?,  1658. — held,  1480;  helde,  1587.- 
heng^,  394. — knew^,  232. — lay,  112  f  (:  day  ?z.),  558  f 
(:  affray  #.),  IJ52  f  (:  saY  z  SS-  pt-  ind.).  — lat,  951  ;  lete, 
243,  418,  1598,  2117. —les,  1414  f  (:  goddess.);  cf.  lost, 
§  103.  —  malte,  921.— quod,  319,  323,  700,  701,  707,  etc., 
etc.  —ran,  1651  f  (:  be-gan  j  sg.  pt.  ind.~}.  —  rofe,  373.  - 
sat,  1205.  —  sawgh,  127,  132,  151,  162,  163,  193,  etc.  ;  saugh, 
174,  198,  212,  219,  etc.,  etc.;  saw,  296,  917,  933;  say 
1151  f  (:  lay  j  sg.  pt.  ind.*),  1191,  1283  f  (:  day  ».)  ;  sey, 
948,  989;  sigh,  1161  f  (:  on  high). — slioon,  1125,  1387, 
1422;  shoone,  1289;  shone,  503,  530.  —  slep(e),  438  f 
(kepe  #.)  ;  cf.  slept,  §  103.  — slow^,  268,  956.  — smote,  438. 
-  songe,  1399.  —  spak(e),  555  f  (:  awake  impv.  sg.),  ^978  f 
(:  bake  #.),  1077  f  (:  blake  adj.  post,  sg.)  ;  spake,  910; 
spak<?,  963. — stall,  418. — stank,  1654. — stood,  1116, 
1464;  stoode,  1869;  stoode,  1162,  1163;  stod^,  1605; 
stood(e),  1507  f  (:  woode  adj.  pred.  sg.).  — swore,  2051.  - 
toke,  1089,  1596  ;  toki,  1637,  1865  ;  took,?,  168,  223,  419, 
464.  — wrote,  380,  523.  — wanne,  458.  — yaf,  2021,  2114. 

109.  The  Plural  of  the  Preterite  Indicative  of  both  Strong 
and  Weak  Verbs  ends  in  -en,  -e,  for  all  persons  (Child,  §  55  ; 
ten  Brink,  §  194). 

I.  -en  before  consonants  : 

hadden  grete  fames,  1154  ;  hadden  myght,  2146  ;  maden  lowde, 
1217;  seyden  certes,  1693;  seyden  lady,  1827:  seyden 
mercy,  1730;  seyden  sooth,  1552;  stoden  forthe,  1451; 
troden  fast,  2153  ;  went  [en]  for  (P  -en},  441  ;  weren  sondry, 
1194  ;  weren  white,  1937. 

II.  -en  in  rhyme  : 

Al  these  armes  that  ther  weren 

That  they  thus  on  her  cote  beren,  1331-2. 

III.  -en  before  vowels  : 

aqueynteden  in,  250;  besoughten  alle,  1706;  clamben  vp, 
2151  ;  comen  out,  1314  ;  ffleddew  eke,  179  ;  metten  in,  2092  ; 
saten  vnder,  1210;  stoden  alle,  1503;  stoden  other  (F 
stonderi],  1437  ;  weren  alle  1323  ;  weren  on,  1383  ;  writen  of, 
1441  ;  writen  olde,  1515. 

IV.  -en  before  h  : 
beren  hym,  947. 

V.  -en  syncopated  : 

seyden  they  (rest  seyde),   1708  ;  stampen*  as,  2154  ;  writen  of 

1504- 


77 

VI.  -e  before  consonants  : 

gonne  doun,  1534  ;  gonne  stellifye,  1002  ;  gonne  wel,  944  ; 
gunne  choppen,  1824;  gunne  crie,  1608;  gunne  crowde, 
2O95  J  gunne  fast,  1728  ;  gunne  loute,  1704  ;  gunne  stonde, 
1692  ;  gunne  wringe,  2110  ;  hadde  large,  1412  ;  mette  with, 
227  ;  nere  nought,  1328  ;  seyde  graunte,  1536  ;  seyde  we, 
1660. 

VII.  -e  in  rhyme  : 

brende,  954  f  (:  descende  inf.}  \  highte,  1519  f  (syghte  n.}  ; 
kast[e],  2152  f  (:  fast  adv.}  ;  ronge,  1398  f  (:  y-songe pp.}  ; 
roughte,  1781  f  (:  ought  2  pi.  pt.  ind.}  ;  tolde,  2143  f 
(:  be-holde  inf.}  ;  were,  173  f  (:  fere  n.}  ;  233  f  (:  where 
adv.},  1047  f  0  spere  «.),  1155  f  (:  [t]here  adv.},  1249  f 
(:  there  adv.}  ;  went[e],  181  f  (:  went  n.}. 

VIII.  -e  elided  before  vowels  : 

(be)gunri<?  vp,  2150;  filiation,  1659;  gonn^  as,  1589;  gonn^ 
of,  2090;  gonn^  vp,  953  ;  gunni  on,  1211  ;  hadd<?  in,  1849  ; 
hadd^  y- wrought.  1711  ;  lost  al,  156  ;  ner  of,  1423  ;  sayd^  I, 
2148  ;  syng^  {error  for  song<?)  of,  1404  ;  were  alle,  2149  ; 
were  almost,  1143;  were  in,  698;  were  on,  1319;  wer 
a-cheked,  2093;  wer  as,  1316;  write  or,  1519. 

IX.  -e  elided  before  h  : 

gonn<?  her,  1550  ;  gunn^  honoure,  1384  ;  prayed  her,  1815. 

X.  Apocope  is  not  uncommon  : 

begunne  to  (P  begunne  by  omitting  to),  1220;  fonde  they, 
1810;  made  welmore  {sing,  f),  1290;  quod  they,  1562; 
shoone  ful  {sing.  ?},  1289;  vsed  clarion,  1247;  were  come, 
T533  i  were  lefte,  238  ;  were  made,  1424  ;  were  molte,  1149  ; 
were  wonder,  1691  ;  wer  .set,  1350. 

no.  The  Singular  of  the  Present  Subjunctive  of  both  Strong 
and  Weak  Verbs  ends  in  -e  in  all  persons  (Child,  §  56  ;  ten 
Brink,  §§  184,  188). 

I.  First  Person  :   (a}  before  consonants,  — er  I  bere  the,  600  ; 
but  I  bringe  the,  2003;   (b)  in  rhyme,  —  yif  I  hit  graunte, 
1787   f  (:   avaunte  inf.}  ;  as  I  leve,   875  f  (:  eve  n.}  ;  or  I 
ferther  pace,  1112  f  (:  place  n.}  ;  Though  I  hem  noght  be 
ordre  telle,    1453  f  (:  duelle  inf.}  ;  what  I   thynke,  1879  f 
(:  drynke  inf.}  ;   (c}  elision,  — al-so  browk^  I  wel  myn  hede, 
273  ;  as  thryw  I,  1615  ;  what  I  dry^  or,  1879. 

II.  Second  Person  :     {a}  before  consonants,  —  y  prey  the  That 
thou  a  while  a-bide  me,   1994  ;  Looke  that  thou  warne  me, 
893  ;   (b}  in  rhyme,— 

so  that  thou  take 

Goode  herte  and  not  for  fere  quake,  603-4  5  W  elision t  — 


78 

And  ber<?  hyt  neuer  so  hye,  740  ;  besechen  the  That  thou 
graunte  vs,  1555  ;  al-though  thou  thenk^  hyt,  806  ;  yf  that 
thow  Throw*?,  on,  789. 

III.  Third  Person  :  («)  before  consonants,  —  also  wis  god 
helpe  me,  576  ;  also  wis  god  rede  me,  1067  ;  (b)  in  rhyme, 
—  also  god  youre  soule  blesse,  1612  f  (:  gentilesse  n.)  ;  also 
god  me  blesse,  629  f  (:  humblesse  n.)  ;  Yf  hit  so  longe  tyme 
dure,  303  f  ( :  perauenture  adv. )  ;  the  whiche  I  prey  ...  of 
otire  sorwes  lyghte,  467  f  ( :  syghte  n. )  ;  so  god  yow  saue, 
1760  f  (haue  inf.)  ;  god  so  me  saue,  1135  f  (:  y-graue 
pp.)  ;  so  god  me  spede,  1012  f  (:  nede  n.)  ;  or  he  sterve, 
101  f  (:  deserve  inf.)  ;  (c)  elision, — Though  somme  vers 
fayk  in,  1098  ;  though  your  loue  laste  a  seson,  341  ;  The 
whiche  I  prey  alwey  saw  vs,  466  ;  Yf  euery  dreme  stond<? 
in  his  myght,  80  ;  God  turn<?  vs,  i  ;  the  holy  Roode  turn<? 
vs,  58  ;  wel  worth  of  this  tlrynge,  53  ;  pray  I  ...  that  euery 
harme  .  .  .  befalls  hym,  101  ;  bid  him  how  that  he  Bryng<? 
his  other  clarioun,  1579  ;  devyn<?  he,  14  ;  drem^  he  barefote 
drem^  he  shod,  98  ;  who-so  .  .  .  mysdem<?  hyt,  97  ;  And  he 
that  mouer  ys  of  alle  ...  so  yive  hem  .  .  .  and  sheld^  hem 
.  .  .  and  send  hem,  83,  88,  90  ;  That  euery  man  wen^  hem 
at  ese,  1767. 

in.     Exceptions  to  §  no. 

I.  First  Person  :  loues  .   .   .  wol  that  I  bere  the,  662. 

II.  Second  Person  :  y  prey  the  That  thou  .   .   .  lete  me  seen, 
X995  »'  So  that  thou  yeve  thyn  aduertence,  709. 

III.  Third  Person  :  Ywel  thrifte  come  to  your  lowes,   1786  ; 
helpe  me  god,  700  ;  God  saue  the  lady,  1310  ;  god  of  heuen 
sende  the  grace,  1087. 

112.  The  Plural  of  the  Present  Subjunctive  of  both  Strong 
and  Weak  verbs  ends  in  -e,  en  (Child,  §  56  ;  ten  Brink, 
§§  184,  188). 

I.  Second  Person  : 

how  that  ye  determynen 

And  for  the  more  parte  diffynen,  343-4. 

II.  Third  Person  :   (a)  While  that  they  fynde  loue  of  stele, 
683  ;   (b)  Ne  hyt  mysdeme  in  her  thoght,  92  ;   (c)  So  yive 
hem  ioy  that  hyt  here,  83  f  (:  to  yere)  ;   (d)  Or  they  espi^ 
hyt,  706  ;  That  tak<?  hyt  wele  and  skorn^  hyt  noghte,  91. 

III.  Apocope  of  -e  :  Come  we  morwe  or  on  eve,  2106  ;  yive 
hem  ioy  ....  Of  alle  that  they  dreme  to  yere,   84.     But 
in  the  latter  verse  alle  may  mean  omnia  ;  in  that  event  it 
would  be  possible  to  read  :  Of  alle  that  they  dreme  to  yere. 


79 

113.  The  Preterite  Subjunctive  Singular  of  Strong  Verbs  ends 
in  -e ;  but  in  H.F.  the  examples  are  few  and  inconclusive. 
The  Preterite  Subjunctive  Singular  of  Weak  Verbs  shows  in 
the  first  and  third  persons  the  endings  -de,  -te,  -ed  (cf.  Child, 
§  56  ;  ten  Brink,  §  195).     The  Second  Person  Singular  of 
the  Subjunctive  of  Weak  Preterites  has  not  been  observed. 

I.  Strong   Verbs  :    (a)  First  Person, — though   I   knew  her 
places,  1014  ;  as  I  were  a  larke,   546  ;   (ft)    Third  Person,  - 
prayed  her  .   .   .  that  she  .   .   .  yev^  hem,  1817  ;  were,  251, 
702,  1132,  1333,  1354,    1518,    1819,  1999.  —Exceptions  :  («) 
Second    Person,  —  as    thou    were    woode,     202;    (V)    Third 
Person,  —  or  he  toke  kepe,  437  ;  That  hem  were  leuest,  87  ; 
Were   the   tydinge   sothe   or   fals,    2072  ;  nor   hyt   were  to 
louge,  381  ;  as  he  were  woode,  1508. 

II.  Weak  Verbs  :   (a}  First  Person, — yf  I  wold<?  her  names 
telle,  1505  ;   (b)    Third  Person,  — or  he  lette,  2070  f  (:  rnette 
j  sg.  pt.  ind. )  ;  Tyl  he  haue  caught  that  what  him  lest  [e] , 
282  f  (:  the  fay  rest),  —  but  T  alone  shows  the  verse  ;  so  she 
saved  hym  hys  life,  423. — Haue  :    (#)  First  Person, —  As 
ferforth   as   I   had[de]    wytte,   328;    (b)     Third  Person,  - 
Though  that  Fame  had  al  the  pies,  703  ;  had  he  lawghed  had 
he  loured,   409  ;  had  hyt  stonde,  1928  ;  Yf  Adriane  ne  had 
y-be,   411. — Exceptions-,    prayed  her    .   .   .    that  she  nolde 
doon,  1816  ;  As  she  had  been,  229. 

114.  The  Plural  of  the  Preterite  Subjunctive  of  both  Strong 
and  Weak  Verbs  ends,  like  that  of  the  Present,  in  -e,  en 
(cf.  Child,  §  56  ;  ten  Brink,  §  195). 

As  men  a  potful  of  bawme  helde,  1686  f  (:  smelde  j  sg.  pt. 
ind.}  ;  though  they  were  of,  1850  (ind.  f)  ;  seyden  they 
yeven  noght  a  leke,  1708.  — Exceptions  :  as  men  had  writen 
hem,  1156  ;  As  we  had  wonne  hyt,  1751  ;  men  wend  that, 
1796  ;  as  they  were  wode,  1809. 

115.  The  Imperative  Second  Person  Singular  of  Weak  Verbs 
follows  the  Anglo-Saxon  inflections  in  the  First  and  Second 
Conjugations, — that  is,  verbs  of  the   Second   Conjugation 
have   -e   (A.S.    -«),    and   verbs  of   the   First   Conjugation 
either  end  in  -e  (A.S.  -e)  or  have  no  ending,   according  as 
the  stem-syllable  was  originally  short  or  long.     But  in  the 
two   examples   of   verbs   of  the   Third    Conjugation   -e   is 
unsounded  or  dropped.     (Cf.  Child,  §  58  ;  ten  Brink,  §  189). 


8o 

I.  First  Conjugation  :     O)  short  stems  : 

telle  (A.S.  tele),  telle  me,  853  ;  telle  me,  2049  ;  telk  vs,  1563. 
But  telle  me,  870,  1056. 

II.  First  Conjugation  :     (£)  long  stems  : 
hide  (A.S.  hyd),  hick  our,  1696. 

kythe  (A.S.  cy3),  Now  kythe  thyn  engyne  and  [thy]  myght, 
528.     Such  is  pretty  certainly  the  proper  reading  for  this 
verse,  thy  being  supplied  after  P  T.     It  seems  a  little  strange 
that  Wi.,  Sk.  and  He.  disregard  this  variant,  showing  kythe. 
ringe  (A.S.  hriiig),  ringe  this,  1720. 
spede  (A.S.  sped),  spede  the,  1595. 

Note.  —  For  drede,  imperative  of  dreden  (weak  in  Chaucer),  cf. 
drede  the,  1043. 

III.  Second  Conjugation  : 

herkene,   herke   (A.S.   heorcna,   hercna),   herkene   wel,   725  ; 

herke  be,  613  ;  herke  wel,  1030  ;  herke  what,  764. 
hye  (A.S.  higa),  1592  f  (:  crie  inf.). 
looke  (A.S.  Idea),  looke  that,  893  ;  loke  thou,  927. 
make  (A.S.  maca),  mak^  hyt,  1097. 

IV.  Third  Conjugation  : 

haue  (A.S.  hafa),  haue  pitee,  316. 
sey  (A.S.  saga),  sey  these,  1793. 

V.  Two  Old  Norse  verbs  : 
cast  (O.N.  kasta),  cast  vp,  935. 

trust [e]  (O.N.  treyst),  trust [e]  wel,  672. 
§  1 1 6.     The   Imperative   Second    Person   Singular   of  Verbs   of 

Romance  origin  ends  in  H.F.  in  -e  (cf.  ten  Brink,  §  189). 
graunt   he,    102;  graunte  vs,    1536,   1609,    1773;  gye,    1093  f 

(:  maistrye  n.)  ;  sav<?  and,  494  ;  turn<?  vpward,  925. 
5  117.     The  Imperative  Second  Person  Singular  of  Strong  Verbs 
has  in  H.F.,  as  in  Anglo-Saxon1,  no  -e  (Child,  §  58  b  ;  ten 
Brink,  §  189). 

In  the  following  list  -e  is  oftener  written  than  otherwise, 
but  it  is  regularly  unsounded. 

awak(e),  556  f  (:  spake  3  sg.  pt,  ind.)  ;  awake  to,  560.- 
beholde  this,  926. — blow  her,  1626;  blowe  this,  1790; 
blowe  thy,  1718  ;  blow<?  as,  1766  ;  blow^  yt,  1673.  — come 
forth,  1912.  —  goo  blow^,  1790;  goo  noght,  317. — fare  wel, 
1085.  —  lat  a,  1037  ;  lat  be,  992  ;  lat  goo,  741  ;  lat  me, 
2097  ;  lat  oure,  1610  ;  lat  vs,  1745  ;  let  me,  2097  ;  let  our, 
1556  ;  let  vs,  1755  ;  leet  men,  1761  ;  late  now,  1670.  — ryse 

Short  stems  in  -jo  excepted  ;  cf.  Sievers,  \  372. 


8i 

vp,  1592.  — see  quod,  888  ;  se  her,  1023  ;  se  yonder,  936.  - 
sleeme,  317.  — stonde  no,  1912.  — vnderstond  now,  1073.— 
yive  vs,    1558.  — And  also  tak(e),    1673  f  (:  blake  adj.  sg. 
pred.)  ;  take  forth,  1624  ;  take  thy,  1594;  take  thyn,  1052  ; 
take  hede,  787  ;  take  out,   1765  ;   take  yt,  822.  — Short  -jo- 
stem, — bid  (A.S.  bide),  bid  hym,  808  ;  bid  him,  1573,  1578. 
But  in  one  verb  -e  is  certainly  pronounced  :    And  seyde 
walke  forth  a  pace,  1051. 

Note  i.  —  In  these  two  examples  let  is  doubtless  to  be  regarded 
as  imperative  plural  :  let  see  (  =  videamus],  580  ;  let  vs  speke 
(  =  dieamus),  293. 
Note  2.  —  Observe  the  ellipsis  of  the  verb  in  vp  the  hede,  1021. 

1 1 8.  The  Imperative  Second  Person  Plural  of  Verbs,  strong 
or  weak,   native  or  naturalized,  ends  in  H.F.  in  -eth,  -eth  ; 
but  forms  in  -e  and  forms  with  no  inflectional  ending  also 
occur  (cf.  Child,  §  59  ;  ten  Brink,  §  189). 

I.  Forms  in  -eth,  -eth:    entreth  in,    1109;    haueth  of,   325; 
helpeth  ||  that,  521  ;    herkeneth  as,    109  ;   herkeneth  euery, 
509  ;  listeneth  of  (P  listeth,  T  lysteth  ;  and  so  perhaps  j  pi. 
pr.  ind.},  511  ;  trusteth  wele,  66. 

II.  Form  in  -c  :  herke  how,   1549. 

III.  Forms  without  ending  :  goo  your,  1561,  1622;  let  your, 
1701  ;  syker  be  ye,  1978. 

119.  The  infinitive  ends  in  H.F.  in  -en,  -en,  e,  -e  (cf.  Child, 
§  60  ;  ten  Brink,  §  190).     In  to  done,  to  goone,  to  seyne,  the 
-ne  of  the  A.S.  gerund  or  dative-infinitive  is  preserved. 

The  following  summary  is  of  some  interest  as  showing  the  relative 
frequency  of  -en,  -en,  -e,  -e,  in  the  several  positions  :    (a)  be/ ore 

consonants,  —en  (26),  -e  (43),  -e   (4)  ;    (6)  in  rhyme, en  (3), 

-e  (196) ;    (c]  before  vowels, en  (20),  -en  (5),  -e  (9),  -e  (54)  ; 

(d)  before  h, en  (4),  -e  (2),  -e  (20).     From  this  it  will  be  seen 

that  -e  is  much  the  commoner  ending  of  the  infinitive  everywhere. 

I.  -en  before  consonants  :  abyden  the,  1086  ;  aprochen  blyve, 
1521  ;  beten  the,  1044  ;  casten  no,  1170  ;  casten  with,  1048  ; 
crien  lowde,   2096;   ensuren  the,   2098;   envien   loo,   1231  ; 
heren  that,   1024  ;  heren  wel,  879  ;  leten  wel,   1950  ;  loken 
thoo,   896;    menen  this,    1104;    pipen  bet,    1232;    powren 
wonder,  1121  ;  proven  the,  808  ;  romen  til,  1293  ;  tellen  can, 
1324;  tellen  certeyn,  1731  ;  tellen  the,  726,  1884;  tellen  yow, 
1343  ;  tellen  yowe,   1418  ;  trowen  this,  699  ;  trumpen  Mes- 
senius,  1243;  wexen  saugh,  1391. 

II.  -en  in  rhyme  :  duellen,    1300  f  (:   tellen   inf.)  ;   tellen, 


82 

1059  f  0  duellen  j  pi.  pr.   ind.)  ;  tellen,    1299  f  (:  duellen 
inf.}. 

III.  -en  before  vowels  :  bilden  on,  1133  ;  beholden  eke,  1755  ; 
blasen  out,   1802  ;  carien  a,   1280;  clioppen  al,  1824;  crien 
alle,  1313  ;  excusen  Eneas,  427  ;  hangen  ought,  1782  ;  loken 
vnder,  964  ;  lyen  euerychon,    1717  ;  passen  eueryche,    975  ; 
puffen   and,    1866  ;    serven   in,    1548  ;    shendeii    al,    1016  ; 
semen  euery,    1291  ;  stonden  in,    1238  ;  tellen   also,    1388  ; 
tellen  anon,  2062  ;   wexen  in,  979  ;  wondren  in,  583. 

IV.  -en  before  h  :  helpen  hem,    1439;  stonden  hym,  1214; 
trumpen  [hit],  1864;  wexen  hit,  1652. 

V.  -en,   syncope    :   mounten  ||   and,   953  ;  maken  ||  in,  1268  ; 
pleyen  ||  and,  2133  ;  pleyen  vpon,  1201  ;  temen  vs,  1744. 

Note.  — The  MSS.  are  at  one  only  in  2133  ;  in  the  other  verses 
(except  1744)  there  are  variants  in  -<?,  which  of  course  elides 
before  the  vowels  that  follow ;  and  in  1201,  1744  there  is 
authority  for  reading  on  instead  of  vpon,  whence  we  should 
have  pleyen ,  temen. 

VI.  -e  before   consonants    :   beholde   more,    532  ;   bere   tho, 
J597  >'  clymbe  greued,   1119  ;  come  hyder,    1891  ;  come  to, 
735  ;  compleyne  thanne,   368  ;  confirme   my,    761  ;  deserue 
why,    1781  ;  fele  wel,   826;  graunte  yowe,    1822;  helpe  to, 
1102  ;  here  many,  1915  ;  here  where,  711  ;  holde  yow,  324; 
kenne  myght,  498  ;  kepe  that,  216  ;  lerne  loue,  1235  ;  lerne 
saugh,  1250  ;  loke  nowe,  580  ;  make  folke,  42  ;  makelenger, 
1282;  make  lythe,    118  ;    make  songes,    622;    make   yow, 
1300,  1454;  passe  with,  2011  ;  peyne  me,  246  ;  rede  many, 
448  ;  shewe  yow,  1102  ;  speke  more,  245  ;  teche  the,  2024  ; 
telle  first,  850;  telle   [the],   1792;  telle  the,  249,  894;  telle 
where,    479;    telle   yow,    150,    547;    trumpe   there,    1250; 
vnderstonde  kan,   510;  vnderstonde  my,    710;  warne   the, 
1068  ;  wynne  sone,  2115. 

Note.  —  The  following  infinitives  require  an  additional  syllable, 
for  all  of  which  there  are  variants  in  -e,  -en  :  comfort  tho  (235), 
pley  lugelours  (1259),  shew  craft  (noo),  tel  can  (334,  450),  tel 
fonde  (1427),  tel  she  (242). 

VII.  -e  in  rhyme:  abrayde,  559  f  ( :  seyde  j  sg.  pt.  ind.)-,  appere, 
190  f  (:  here  inf.')  ;  agryse,  210  f  (:  aryse  inf.)  ;   aryse,  209  f 
(:  agryse  inf.)  ;  bede,  32  f  (:  drede  n.)  ;  bete,  570  f  (:  hete 
n.)  ;  come,   45  f  (:   some  pro.)  ;  drenche,    205   f  (:  wenche 
n.)  ;   16,  64,  78,  87,  90,    102,    164,   180,    189,   195,   205,   220, 
231,   237,   239,   246,   251,  252,   279,   297,  311,  381,  382,  385, 
392,  413,  422,  434,  446,  447,  474,  491,  499,  508,  511,  5*2, 
520,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  —  Final  -e  is  to  be  supplied  in  the  follow- 


ing  examples  ;  in  every  case,  indeed,  there  are  variants 
which  show  it  :  blow,  1639  f  (:  ouerthrowe  inf.)  ;  cary, 
574  f  (:  Mary)  ;  cast,  1147  f  (:  last  inf.)  ;  groon,  338  f 
(:  euerychoon pro. )  ;  know,  1122  f  (:  \Q>^N  adv.)  ;  last,  1147  f 
(:  cast  inf.)  ;  let,  1954  f  (:  vnshet  pp.  plur.)  ;  shout,  1808  f 
(:  about  adv.). 

VIII.  -e  elided  before  vowels:  beholds  vpon,   mi  ;  ber^  vp, 
1439,  1472;  blow<?  in,  1818  ;  caus^  another,  *794  ;  cora^  in, 
2005  ;  countrepes<?  ese,  1750  ;  crep<?  at,  2086  ;  drem^  of,  22  ; 
endyt<?  and,  520  ;  67,  79,  202   (bis),   216,  247,  277,  289,  293, 
43*>   491,    599,    705>    790,   867,  946,  958,    993,    1017,    1037, 
1053,  1055,  IIQ8,  etc.,  etc. 

IX.  -e  elided  before  h:    ber<?  hyt,    1474;    blow*?  her,    1722  ; 
bring  his,  1573  ;  cach^  his,  404  ;  countrefet  hym,    1212  ;  es<? 
her,  1799  ;  her*?  hyt,  1038  ;  kemb^  hyr,  136  ;  kep£  hir,  192  ; 
know*?  hit,  377,    ley  hyt,  291  ;  lou<?  hym,  270  ;  preys^  hys, 
627  ;    shak^   hem,    868  ;    shew^  hym,    867  ;    slep<?  hir,    76  ; 
syng<?  hyt,   2138  ;  telk  hyt,   2073  ;   wete  his,    1785  ;  wrings 
hir,  299. 

X.  Apocope  of  -e  :  come  to,  786  ;  further  the,  2023  ;  put  the, 
598  ;  trumpe  loab,  1245. 

XI.  Hiatus  :    blowe    out,    204 ;    dure   euer,   353  ;    lerne  in, 
1088  ;  speke  al,  886  ;  stonde  al,  85  ;  stonde  in,  1692  ;  stonde 
out,    1456  ;    telle  al,    1829  ;    thynke  hyt,   387  ;    vnderstonde 
h}7t,  50  ;  yeve  eche,  2112. —  But  variants  in  -en  are  found  in 
204,  387,  886,  1692. 

XII.  fle,  se :  fle  for,   2109;   flee  ful,  610  ;    flee  so,  973;  flee 
the,   186  ;   flee,   165  f(:  he),  934  f  (:    meynee  n.)  ;    fleen, 
2118  f  (:  seen  inf.).  — se  hyt,  386  ;  se  men,   1106  ;  se  the, 
533  ;  se,  476  f,  525  f,  737  f,  928  f  ;   see  darst,  580  ;  see  hyt, 
211  ;  see  owghwhere,  478  ;    see  wel,   793  ;    see  with,   1492  ; 
see,  441  f,  483  f,  804  f,  1 120  f,  1387  f,  1501  f,  1526  f,   1623  f, 
1892  f ;    seen,   1948  f,   1995  f  (both:   been  j  pi.  pr.  ind.), 
2117  f  ( :  fleen  inf. ) . 

XIII.  Gerundial  infinitives,  —  to  done,  to  goone,  to  seyne  : 

to  done,  113  f  (:  sone  adv.),  361  f  (:  moone  n.)  ;  to  doo  good, 
1714  ;  to  do  al,  6n  ;  to  do  the,  664  ;  to  do  thys,  603  ;  inf., 
do  no,  1794;  do  so,  2099;  do  than,  2020;  do,  261  f;  doo 
eftesones,  359  ;  doo  DO,  1795  ;  doo,  243  f,  320  f ;  doon  hem, 
1816  ;  doon  vs,  1748. 

to  goone,  1165  f  (:  woone  n.)  ;  to  goon,  1916  f  (:  many  oon), 
2084  f  (:  anoon  adv.)  ;  to  goo  by,  749  ;  to  goo,  1598  f  (:  thoo 
adv.)\  inf.,  go  as,  1106;  go  first,  2097;  g°>  2IO°  f;  g°° 
in,  639  ;  goo  into,  430  ;  goo  out,  476  ;  goo  thyn,  741  ;  goo, 
197  f,  236  f,  420  f,  1950  f,  2078  f,  2094  f  ;  g°on  and»  934  ; 


84 

goon  there,  2117;  goon,  951  f,  1569^  1670  f  (all:  anoon 
adv.),  1583  f  (:  ston  n.)  ;  gon,  1090  f  (:  anon  adv.*),  1934  f 
(:  ston  ».),  1992  f  (:  stoon  «.)  ;  for-goon,  1856  f  (:  oon 
num.). 

sothe  for  to  seyne,  690  f  (:  demeyne  inf. )  ;  soth  for  to  seyn(e), 
ageyne  adv.)  ;  soth  for  to  seye,  1368  f  (:  y-seye pp.)  ;  sothe 
to  sey[e],  1917  f  (:  valey  n.)  ;  inf.,  sey[e],  713  f  (wey  n.). 

120.  The  Present  Participle  ends  in  H.F.  in  -ynge  (-inge), 
-yng  (-ing}   (cf.  Child,  §  64  ;  ten  Brink,  §  191).     The  only 
example  in  rhyme  is  with  noun  in  -ynge.      The  examples 
before  a  consonant  are  few,  but  in  these  -e  is  unsounded. 

I.  In  rhyme  :  goynge,  799  f  (:  sterynge  n.). — II.  Before 
consonants  :  d welly nge,  608  ;  syttynge,  ^141 5  ;  wepynge, 
214.  — III.  Before  vowels  :  blowyng<?,  230  ;  causyng^,  796  ; 
crying^  (error  for  caryng*?),  545;  crying^,  170;  encresing, 
2077  ;  entryng,  #1527  ;  feynyng*,  1478  ;  fletyng^,  133  ; 
fleyng^,  543  ;  goynge,  228  ;  lepyng^,  1823  ;  multiplying^, 
801  ;  pleying<?,  1252;  rennyng^,  2145  ;•  seyllyng<?,  903; 
sittyng,  1394.  — IV.  Before  h  :  wenyng^  hyt,  262. 

121.  The  Perfect  Participle  of  Weak  Verbs  ends  in  H.F.  in 
-ed,   -ed,   -d,   -t  (cf.   Child,  §  62  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  163,  166-9, 
176,  180-3). 

There  is  in  H.F.  no  case  of  a  participle  rhyming  with  the 
preterite  of  a  weak  verb  ;  the  only  apparent  example  — 
herde,  1932  f  (:  ferde  j  sg.  pt.  ind.)  — is  shown  by  compari- 
son of  MSS.  to  be  a  preterite.  There  are  three  instances  of 
final  sounded  -e,  all  plural  :  dreynte  were,  233  ;  vnbrende 
were,  1 73  ;  vnshet  [te] ,  1953  f  ( :  let  inf. ) ,  —  the  rest  vnshette, 
lette. 

I.     Anglo-Saxon  verbs  of  the  First  Conjugation  (cf.  §  99). 

agaste,  557  ;  a-sweued,  549  f  (:  heued  «.);  betyd,  384  ;  betyde, 
680  ;  betydde,  578,  ^2048  ;  broght,  155  ;  herd,  1059,  1929, 
2135  ;  herde,  1909  ;  herd*?,  2060  ;  heryed  (dissyl.),  1405  ; 
left,  2038  f  (:  eft  adv.)  ;  lefte,  238  ;  y-ment,  1742  f  (:  sent 
pp.)  ;  red,  347,  722  ;  rent,  776:  sent,  612  f  (:  comaunde- 
ment  n.),  1741  f  (:  y-ment  pp.)  ;  y-sent,  984  f  (:  entende- 
ment  n.)  ;  set,  620,  845,  1350;  silde  (error for  fylde),  1957  ; 
soght,  626  ;  tolde,  2136  ;  tokte,  823  ;  told(e),  529  f  (:  golde 
n.),  996  f,  2063  f  (both  :  olde  adj.  sg.  pred.}  ;  tyd,  255; 
y-went,  976  f  (:  element  n.)  ;  wroght,  1317,  1498  ; 
I-wrought,  1298  ;  y-wrought,  1173  f,  1923  {(both  :  thought 
».),  1711  f  (:  nought  pro.).  —  From  the  Old  Norse  First 
Conjugation  :  brent,  2080  ;  y-brent,  940. 


85 

II.  Anglo-Saxon  verbs  of  the  Second  Conjugation  (cf.  §  101). 
axed,   1766;  called,   1357;    y-called,   1363  f(:  y -stalled  pp.)  ; 

cleped,  1400,  1575,  1625,  1921  ;  clothed,  1078  ;  Crammed, 
2129;  y-hated,  200;  made,  592,  1362,  1424,  1922:  made, 
1224,  1936,  2016;  y-made,  120;  y-made,  691  ;  maked,  924; 
y-marked,  1103;  of  thowed,  1143;  opened,  1952;  rovned, 
722,  1030  f  (:  compovned  pp.)  ;  y-rovned,  2107  f  (:  com- 
povned  pp. )  ;  shamed,  1634;  y-shamed,  356;  shewed, 
1095  f  (:  lewed  pred.  adj.  sg.)  ;  warned,  51  ;  wont,  2078; 
wonte,  113,  566,  1548  ;  wonte,  1581  ;  wond<?,  1576. 

III.  Verbs  of  Germanic  origin  which  are  not  found  in  Anglo- 
Saxon  (cf.  §  101). 

dasewyd  (cf.  O.N.  dasask),  658;  loured,  409  f(:  devoured 
pp.)  ;  piped,  (cf.  A.S,  pipe,  n.),  785  ;  twyst,  775. 

IV.  Anglo-Saxon  verbs  of  the  Third  Conjugation  (cf.  §  102). 
had,  667  ;  hadd<?,  1848  ;  sayd<?,   2052  ;  seyde,   565,   883,   2008  ; 

seyd^,   355,   372  ;    seyd(e),    109  f  (:  abreyde  i  sg.  pt.  ind.). 

V.  Weak  participles  from  strong  verbs  (cf.  §  103). 

adrad,  928  ;  highte,  226  ;  lawghed,  409  ;  lost,  234 ;  y-lost, 
1257  ;  y-lost^,  183. 

VI.  Syncopated   participles   from   verbs   of  Romance   origin 
(cf.  §  104). 

enclyned,  828  ;  keuered,  275,  352  ;  recouerd,  1258  ;  quyt,  1614 
f  (:  hyt/r0.).  But  better,  perhaps,  keuered,  recouer\e\d. 

VII.  Unsyncopated  participles  from  verbs  of  Romance  origin 
(cf.  §  105). 

a-cheked  (O.K.  eschec),  2093  ;  acheued,  1738  ;  arryved,  1047  ; 
assayled,  158;  assured,  581  ;  astonyed  (trisyl.),  549;  com- 
povned, 1029  f  (:  rovned  //.),  2108  f  (:  y-rovned  pp.)  ; 
conserued,  732  ;  conserved,  1160  ;  corovned,  1316  ;  departed, 
2068  ;  deserued,  1613,  1662,  1545  f,  1621  f  (both:  serued, 
//)  ;  devoured,  410  f  (:  loured  pp.)  ;  enbrowded,  1327  ; 
enclyned,  749,  825;  entremedled,  2124;  escaped,  167; 
formed,  1366,  2039  ;  yformed,  490  ;  founded,  1981  ;  graunted, 
220;  Ittged,  357;  meved,  813  f  (:  preved  pp.)  ;  perched 
(O.K.  perche),  1991;  peynted,  211,  1458;  plated  (O.K. 
plate),  1345  ;  preised,  1577  ;  preved,  839,  854,  814  f 
(:  meved  pp.)  ;  preued,  874  ;  receyved,  339  f  (:  disceyved 
pp.)  ;  served,  337,  616  ;  serued,  1622  f  (:  deserued//.)  ; 
y-stalled,  1364  f  (:  y-called//.)  ;  vsed,  1242. 

122.  The  Perfect  Participle  of  Strong  Verbs  ends  in  H.F.  in 
-en,  -67i,  -n,  -e  (cf.  Child,  §  61  ;  ten  Brink,  §§  130,  132,  139, 
140,  142,  143,  145,  148-151,  153,  155-158,  160). 


86 

I.  -en,    -n,   in  rhyme   :  born(e),   59  f  (:  beforne/r^/.),  345  f 
(:   lorne  //.)  ;  ybroken,   765  f  (:    yspoken  pp.)  ;    lorn(e), 

346  f  (:  borne//.)  ;  seyn(e),  501  f  (:  certeyne  adj.  post,  sg.)  ; 
y-slayn(e),  159  f  (:  certayne  adv.)}  yspoken,  766  f  (:  ybroken 
pp.). 

II.  -en  unsyncopated  :   blowen,  774,   1859;  y-comen,   1074; 
corven,    1295  »  flowen,    905  ;    graven,    212  ;  growen,    1353  ; 
knowen,  757,  1676;  leten,   1934;  seen,  468;  shapen,  1985; 
y-sowen,    1488  ;    spoken,    88 1  ;    y-spoken,    810  ;    throwen, 
1325  ;  woxen,  2082  ;  writen,  142,    1153. 

III.  -en  syncopated   :  seen,   977,    2037;    spoken    [in],   717; 
sworn(e),  322  ;  woxen  on,  1494  ;  writen  hem,  1156. 

IV.  -e  in  rhyme   :  begonne,   677   f  (:  wonne//.)  ;  behewe, 
1306  f  (:  shewe  inf.)  ;  beholde,  1285  f  (:  yholde//.);  ybete, 
1041  f  (:  swete  inf.)  ;  y-blowe,  1139  f  (:  knowe  inf.),  16641" 
(:  knowe//.)  ;  y-broke,  770  f  (:  smoke  n.)  ;  y-colde  {error 

for  yholde),  1286  f  (:  beholde//.)  ;  y-graue,  1136  f  (:  sane 
3  SS-  Pr-  subj.)  I  knowe,  1663  f  (y-blowe  //. )  ;  y-knowe, 
1770  f  (:  blowe  inf.)  ;  y-ronge,  1655  f  (:  tonge  n.)  ;  ronne, 
1644  f  (:  gonne  n.)  ;  y-seye,  1367  f  (:  seye  inf.)  ;  songe, 

347  f,  722  f  (both  :  tonge  n.)  ;  y-songe,  1397  f  (:  ronge  3  pi. 
pt.  ind.)  ;  y-sprong[e],   2081   f  (:   tong  n.)  ;  wonne,   678  f 

(:  begonne//.). 

V.  -e  before  consonants  :  come  there,  673  ;  graue  was,  256  ; 
take  for,  309. 

VI.  -e  apocopated :    come  to,    1603  ;    founde  ||  that,    2054  J 
y-swore  to,  421. 

VII.  -e  elided  before  vowels  :  y-bor<?,  590  ;  com^,  1533  ;  graw, 
157,  451;  molte,   1145,    1149;    spok^,  723;    sprong^,   2079; 
wonn<?,  159. 

VIII.  -e  elided  before  h  :  grav<?  how,  253,  433  ;  tak<?  hir,  424  ; 
wonn<?  hyt,  1751  ;  ywonn<?  hys,  456  ;  wox  hir,  1146. 

IX.  Hiatus  :    grave  in,  473  ;    stonde  vpon,   1928  ;   vnknowe 
ys,  270.    But  in  two  of  the  three  examples  there  are  variants 
in  -en. 

123.     Preteritive  Presents. 

A.S.  witan.  —  i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  wot  I,  52  ;  wote  wel,  980  ;  wote 
my,  1878;  wote  I,  474;  wote  euer  (manifest  error  for  wiste), 
1897.  — 2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  wost,  729,  762,  781,  790,  863,  982  f 
(:  gost  n.),  etc.  ;  wostow,  1000,  1784,  1791. — 3  sg.pr.  ind., 
wote  why,  680  ;  forwote  that,  45.  — 2  pi.  pr.  ind.,  wete  ye, 
1618.  — i  sg.  pt.  ind.,  wiste  what,  1159  ;  wyste  I,  129  ;  wiste, 
1544  f  (:  nyste  i  sg.  pt.  ind.). — 3  sg.  pt.  ind.,  wyste 
sothely,  364  ;  wiste  that,  393.  — Pp.,  wist(e),  351  f  (:  niiste 
n.),  1666  f  (:  leste  3  sg.  pt.  ind.). 


8? 

A.S.  nytan.  — i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  not  12,  982,  1887,  2148.  —  2  sg. 
pr.  ind.,  nostow,  1010  ;  nost  not  thou,  2047.  —  /  sg.  pt.  ind., 
nyste  neuer,  128  ;  nyste  how,  548  ;  nyst[e]  how,  1049, 
1901  ;  nyst<?  I,  1127  ;  nyste,  1543  f  (:  wiste  i  sg.  pt.  ind.). 

A.S.  agan. — j  sg.  pt.  ind.,  ought[e]  the,  860;  ought  him, 
1134. — j  pi.  pt.  ind.,  ought  [e],  1782  f  (:  rought  2 pl.pt. 
ind.).  The  several  examples  are  all  present  in  sense. 

A.S.  cunnan1.  — Inf.,  kunne  gynne,  2004.  — i  sg.  pr.  ind.  and 
subj.,  kan,  15,  64,  143  f,  277  f,  334  f  {all  :  man  «.),  248,  707, 
etc.  ;  can,  547,  865  f,  1324  f  (:  both  :  man  ».),  etc.  — 2  sg. 
pr.  ind.,  canst,  624. — 3  sg.  pr.  ind.,  kan,  510  f  (:  man  n.), 
959,  etc.  --  i pL  pr.  ind.,  konne  noon,  335.  — 2 pi.  pr.  ind., 
konne  groon,  338.  — 3  pi.  pr.  ind.,  konne  wel,  1265  ;  kan 
synge,  2138  ;  kan,  450  f  (:  Claudian).  —  i  sg.  pt.  ind.  and 
subj.,  koude  know,  1452  ;  Yf  I  koud?  eny  weyes  know,  1122; 
koucU  I,  1140.  — 3  sg.  pt.  ind.,  kouthe  gesse,  1814  ;  who  so 
koud^  I-knowe,  1336;  kouude  no  945  ;  coud^  hem,  1797.  — 
3 pi.  pt.  ind.,  coude  casten,  1170. 

A.S.  durran.  — i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  dar  wel,  598  ;  dar  I,  674  ;  dar<? 
I,  2054.  — 2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  darst  thou,  580. 

A.S.  sculan.  —  i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  shal,  150,  355,  357,  585,  713, 
etc.  —  2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  shalt,  577,  602,  672,  711,  793,  etc.  ; 
shaltow,  2026. — 3  sg.  pr.  ind.,  shal,  6,  107,  279,  308,  309, 
etc.  ;  shall(e),  82  f  (alle  omnia). — 2 pi.  pr.  ind.,  shul,  512, 
1667,  I717  ;  shal,  1615,  1619. — 3  pi.  pr.  ind.,  shal,  525, 
1616  ;  shul,  1634. — i  sg.  pt.  ind.  and  subj.,  shuldfe]  both, 
1892  ;  shulde  I,  245,  1341  ;  shulde  y,  1513  ;  shuld  I,  1282  ; 
shulde  the,  559. — 3  sg.  pt.  ind.  and  subj.,  shulde  drenche, 
205;  shulde  shenden,  1016;  shuld[e]  not,  756;  shuld[e] 
fast,  1569 ;  shulden  be,  869. 

A.S.  *mugan.  — 2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  maist,  737,  2025  ;  mayst,  826  ; 
maiste  goo,  639  {subj.  ?)  ;  maistow,  699,  1024  ;  mayste  thou, 
747. — 3  sg.  pr.  ind.  and  subj.,  may,  32,  90,  274,  291,  324, 
479,  487,  587,  732,  1721,  etc.  — i  pi.  pr.  ind.,  may  not,  1759. 
—  2  pi.  pr.  ind.,  mow<?  here,  1828. — 2  sg.  pr.  subj., 
al [though]  thou  mow<?  hyt  not  y-see,  804.  — i  pi.  pr.  subj., 
pray  we  That  we  mow^  han,  1735.  —  i  sg.  pt.  ind.  and  subj., 
myghte  see,  1501  ;  though  I  myght[e]  dure,  353;  myght  [e] 
see,  483  ;  myght  [e]  not,  909  ;  myght  I,  2117  ;  myght  see, 
1492.  — 3  sg.  pt.  ind.  and  subj.,  myght  [e]  do,  261  ;  myght  [e] 

Of  the  remaining  verbs  of  this  section  distinctions  of  mood  are  particularly 
hard  to  draw  for  cunnan,  sculan,  *  mug  an.  Often  no  distinction  is 
attempted ;  in  such  cases  Gothic  figures  indicate  the  more  likely  sub- 
junctives. 


88 

swere,  422;  myght[e]  make,  1334;  myght  ther,  1337; 
myght  agryse,  210  ;  myght  I,  498  ;  myght  oute,  2085  ;  myght 
hyt,  763  ;  myght  hit,  1164  ;  myght  hyt,  1929. 

A.S.  motan.  — 3  sg.  pr.  ind.,  mot  to,  720  ,  mote  oute,  2139. — 
i  sg.  pr.  subj.,  mote  y,  1329.  — 3  sg.  pr.  subj.,  mote  hit,  102  ; 
mot  be,   1663. — 3  sg'  pt.  ind.   (as  present),   most[e]    rede, 
448  ;   most[e]  thider,  724  ;   (as  pret.),  most[e]  nedes,  1635  ; 
most  vnto,   187  ;  most  out,  2094.  — z  SS-  P*-  SU^J-  (as  Pres~ 
ent),  most  I,  1506.  — 3  sg.  pt.  subj.  (as  prct.),  moste  haue, 
410. 
§  124.     Anomalous  Verbs  :  be,  wol,  nyl,  do,  go,  haue. 

^.  —  Infinitive,  be,  274,  309,  355,  356,  671,  771,  977,  1570, 
1663,  1701,  1780,  2101,  2136  ;  be,  308  f,  357  f,  418  f,  732  f, 
1017  f,  1258  f,  1563  f,  1577  f,  1635  f,  2157  f;  ben,  1172, 
1270,  1330,  2037.  —i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  am,  582,  588,  608,  980, 
etc.;  am,  479  f  (:  came  i  sg.  pt.  ind.),  601  f  (:  cam  i  sg.  pt. 
ind.),  etc. — 2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  art,  199,  492,  895,  etc.  ;  arte 
noyouse,  574;  artow,  1872. — 3  sg.  pr.  ind.,  is,  2,  7,  29,  51, 
52,  etc.  ;  ys,  45,  81,  292,  300,  etc.  ;  caus<?  is,  20  f  (:  causis 
n.)  ;  won^  is,  76  f  (:  sones  n.),  etc.  ;  ys,  270  f,  88 1  f,  etc.  ; 
nys,  1957,  2038  ;  nys,  349  f,  913  f,  1063  f.—  i  pi.  pr.  ind.,  be, 
337,  340;  be,  15531" (:  the/r<?.);  ben,  1660,  1828,  1830.— 2 pi. 
pr.  ind.,  be,  1622,  1713,  1783.  —3 pi-  pr.  ind.,  ben,  932,  999, 
1167,  I222>  1254,  1516,  1793,  1946;  been,  1952  ;  been, 
1947  £  X996  f  (both  :  seen  inf.)  ;  be  1894  >  De  1382  f  (:  she 
Pro.);  bee  752  f  (:  see  n.)  ;  Arne  set,  1008.  —  2  sg.  pr. 
subj.,  be,  1860  ;  be,  1593  f  (:  the/n?.).  — 3  sg.  pr.  subj.,  be, 
44,  276,  352,  408,  526,  722,  778,  802,  821,  838,  876,  1059, 
1078,  1676,  1820,  1853,  202°  ;  be>  927f  0  sewif.),  1081  f  (:  she 
pro.)  ;  bee,  803  f  (:  y-see  inf.).—r  pi.  pr.  subj.,  be,  673, 
2107  ;  ben,  1614. — 3  pi.  pr.  subj.,  be,  645,  1666. — 2  sg. 
impv.,  be,  519,  557,  581,  1405.  —  2  pi.  impv.,  be,  1978.- 
isg.pt.  ind.,  was,  59,  113,  129,  etc.  ;  was,  119  f  (:  glas 
n.),  etc. — 3  sg.  pt.  ind. ,  was,  82,  105,  112,  118,  130,  139, 
etc.  ;  was,  141  f  (:  bras  n.),  158  f  (:  alias  intj.),  218  f 
(:  Eneas  pr.  n.),  etc.;  nas,  486,  915,  1346,  1367,  1922, 
1978,  2037  ;  nas,  1296  f,  1358  f,  2068  f  (:  all  :  was 3  sg.  pt. 
ind.).  —  For  the  plur.  pret.  ind.,  see  §  109.  — For  \hzpret. 
subj.,  see  §§  113,  114.  —  Pp.,  be,  ^410;  y-be,  1733  f  (:  we 
pro.)  ;  I-ben,  1138  ;  y-been,  1338  f  (:  seen  inf.). 

wol,  nyl.  — i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  wol,  65,  67,  143,  289,  601,  764,  782, 
1086,  1113,  2098;  wil,  772,  1057,  1427,  1864,  1880,  1913; 
will,  1068  ;  wyl,  1884  ;  will(e),  725  f  (:  skille  n.)  ;  nyl,  56, 
1255,  1329,  1822,  1856.—^  sg.  pr.  ind.,  wolt,  631,  671, 


89 

1069;  wilt,  993,  1080,  1102,  2099;  of  these  the  last  two 
examples  are  in  subjunctive  constructions. — -3  sg.  pr.  ind., 
wol,  247,  359,  586,  662,  670,  790,  *794,  2008,  2020;  will,  1044. 

—  ipl.pr.  ind.,  wil,  886,   2102.  — 2 pi.  pr.  ind.,  wol  ye,  320. 

—  i  sg.pt.,  wolde  hyt,  382;  wolde  fay  11,   1848;    wold^  her, 
1505. — 3  sg.  pt.,  wolde  lede,  942  ;  wold[e]  no,   1785  ;  wokk 
haue,  302,  305,  1784;  wolde  envien,  1231  ;  wold^  he,  2073; 
wold<?  hir,  296.  — 2 pi.  pt.,  wolde,  1779  f  (:  nolde  2 pi.  pt.}  ; 
nolde,  1780  f  (:  wolde  2 pi.  pt.).  — 3 pi.  pt.,  wolden  honour, 
1793  ;  wolde  they,  1712.  — A  few  preterites  manifestly  sub- 
junctive are  indicated  by  Gothic  figures  ;  in  the  main  no  dis- 
tinction is  tried  for. 

do.  — Infinitive,  see  §  119,  XIII.  — i  sg.  pr.  ind.,  do,  1024  f 
(:  lo  intj.). — 2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  doost,  ^1883. — 3  sg.  pr.  ind., 
dooth,  6 10,  1653,  J933  ;  doth,  1036,  1042  ;  doth<?  Apparence, 
265  ;  doth^  amys,  269  ;  dothe  where,  1648  ;  dothe  the,  2116  ; 
doth(e),  2052  f  (:  sothe/ra/.  adj.  sg.).  — 3 pi.  pr.  ind.,  don, 
1522;  doou,  1267,  2I54-  —  i  sg.  pr.  subj.,  do,  1099,  1788.— 

2  sg.  impv.,  doon,  1859.  —  i  sg.  pt.  ind.,  did  al,  2132. —  2  sg. 
pt.  ind.,  didest,  1846.  — 3  sg.  pt.  ind.,  did  he,  1688  ;  did  hern, 
474;  did  hym,   259;    did  this,   1636. — Pp.,  do,    354,  361  ; 
doo,  372  f  (:  thertoo),  395;    don,   1630,   1694,   *732  ;  doon 
1698,  1737  ;  doon,  1775  f  (:  etierychon)  ;  y-doon,  1812. 

go.  — Infinitive,  see  §  119,  XIII.  —  2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  goost,  655. 
~3  sg-  Pr-  ind.,  gooth,  806.  —  i  sg.  pr.  subj.,  goo,  1055.  - 

3  sg.  pr.  subj.,   goo,    1674  f  (:    soo   adv.). — 3 pi-  PT*  subj., 
goon,   1768. — 2  s^.  impv.,   goo,   317,    1790. — 2  pi.  impv., 
goo,    1561,    1622.  —  For  present  participle,  hee  §  120.  —  Pp., 
goo,  434  ;  y-goo,  802  f  (:  euer  moo)  ;  for-goo,    115  f  (:  two 
num.)  ;    goon,    mo   f    (:    anoon    adv.)  ;     (a)goon,    365   f 
(:  anoon  adv.). 

haue.  — Infinitive,  haue  be,  410  ;  haue  take,  424  ;  haue  tolde, 
996  ;  haue  truly,  1045  ;  haue  wonder,  1069  ;  haue  name, 
1312  ;  haue  no,  1695  ;  haue  my,  1716  ;  haue  that,  1855  \ 
haue,  577,  1617,  1619,  1715,  1794  ;  han,  958,  1610,  1667, 
1735.  1795,  1815,  1848,  1872,  1929,  2104.  —  r  sg.  pr.  ind., 
haue  yow,  109,  529  ;  haue  do,  354  ;  haue  the,  606  ;  haue 
be-fore,  839  ;  haue  seyde,  883  ;  haue  yit,  1182,  etc  ;  hau^, 
814,  823,  854,  etc.  ;  hau^  herd,  1059  ;  hau^  herde,  1931.  - 
2  sg.  pr.  ind.,  hast,  200,  616,  620,  644,  653,  etc.  ;  haste  a, 
607.  —  3  sg.  pr.  ind.,  hath,  49,  100,  358,  377,  384,  612,  614, 
etc. — i  pi.  pr.  ind.,  han,  1054,  J6i3,  1694,  1698,  1732, 
1831.  — 2 pi.  pr.  ind.,  haue  ye,  330,  1716.  — 3  pi.  pr.  ind., 
han,  1168,  1225,  1630,  1632,  1737,  1766,  1832,  1852,  1854, 


90 

i899>  2O56  ;  hau<?  hys,  626.  — i  sg.  pr.  sub/.,  hau^  I,    1471. 
-  2  sg.  pr.  sub/.,  hau^  hem,    1009.  — j  sg-.  pr.  sub/.,   haue 
my,  1877. — i  pi.  pr.  subj. ,  haue  yow,   339;    han,   1762.- 
2 pi.  pr.  sub/.,  hau^  in,  823  ;    haue  deserued,    1621.  — j  pi. 
pr.  sub/.,  haue  the,  41.  —  For  the  imperative,  see  §§  115, 
III.,  1 1 8. — For  the  preterite  indicative,  see  §§  102,  106. — 
For  the  preterite  subjunctive,   see  §   113. — For  the  perfect 
participle,  see  §  121,  IV. 


LIFE. 

I  WAS  born  in  Charlotte  County,  Virginia,  December  12,  1867,  and  had 
my  early  academic  training  in  the  private  and  public  schools  of  my 

native  township.  After  one  year  at  the  then  Virginia  Agricultural  and 
Mechanical  College,  I  enlisted  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  in  1885  and 
four  years  later  was  graduated  with  the  B.  S.  degree.  The  year  following 
my  graduation  I  was  assistant  professor  of  Modern  Languages  and  Tactics 
in  my  alma  mater,  and  the  next  three  years  was  commandant  of  cadets  in 
Weutworth  Military  Academy,  Lexington,  Missouri.  In  1893  I  entered  the 
University  of  Virginia,  where  for  two  years  I  pursued  graduate  courses  in 
Latin  and  English  Language  under  Professors  Peters  and  Garnett.  The 
session  of  1895-6  found  me  again  in  service  at  the  Virginia  Military  Insti- 
tute, and  the  two  succeeding  years  were  passed  at  St.  Albans  School,  Rad- 
ford,  Virginia,  as  master  of  Latin  and  French.  I  returned  to  the  University 
of  Virginia  the  current  session  for  further  prosecution  of  my  graduate 
studies,  and  hold,  by  award  of  the  Visitors  of  the  University,  the  John  Y. 
Mason  fellowship. 

Grateful  acknowledgment  for  their  instruction  and  kindly  interest  is 
made  the  several  professors  who  have  directed  my  studies.  To  Professor 
Harrison,  under  whom  the  present  paper  has  been  brought  to  completion, 
my  special  thanks  are  due,  as  well  for  encouragement  and  guidance  as  for 
the  loan  of  many  serviceable  books  from  his  private  library. 


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